


Never be the same

by Booklover1217



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-08 01:36:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 65,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11071320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Booklover1217/pseuds/Booklover1217
Summary: What if Eleven hadn't escaped the Lab in 1983? What if she had instead met Will in the Upside Down and saved him and escaped herself two years later to be found, not by the boys, but Hopper? What would her life be like? Would they ever meet? Would Mike and her ever fall in love?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, so this is the new multi-chapter story I promised. I'm breaking my own rule by posting this before it's officially finished but I'm hoping posting will give me the additional boost I need to finish. Really hope you love it! It's a little more...uh...mature in later chapters than 'Come Back to Me'. As always let me know what you think x

The fifteen year old girl known only by a number stood in front of the gate to another dimension, the one she'd opened two years before, her bare feet cold against the tile below. 

She shivered as she stared up at the gate, at the thick pulsating tendrils that spilled out of it, seeming to reach for her. Her throat tightened with fear as people bustled around behind her, watching her, expressions cold and clinical. 

She felt naked, exposed, in the thin paper gown that had been her only clothing for as long as she could remember. She clenched her fingers in the folds of her gown to hide the shaking that everyone else interpreted as nerves. 

They couldn't have been more wrong. She'd never been more excited in her short, miserable life. 

The girl felt a presence behind, stiffening as cold hands rested on her shoulders, squeezing a little too hard and making goose bumps rise on her skin. 

'It's finally time, Eleven. Everything we've been working towards all these years is finally here. We will make history today, all because of you. You know what to do? You understand?' he said, his voice silky soft and filled with false warmth, worry and affection. Even love. 

Lies, she thought bitterly, keeping her face perfectly blank. Lies that she had bought for twelves long years. But not anymore. Not for a long time. 

Not since she'd saved a boy named Will, and seen what real love and affection loved like in the form of his Mother, Joyce Byers. 

Eleven had watched Joyce when she'd been forced to visit the Upside Down, and had been fascinated and confused as she had done everything she could to contact her son in that dark, awful place, as she had never given up on him. 

And she had understood, had realised a truth that before she never would have even questioned. 

A real parent would never have forced her into a small, dark room and locked the door, while she had screamed and cried. A real parent would never have tried to force her to kill an animal. Or kept forcing her into a sensory deprivation tank to send her into another dimension to try and make contact with a monster.

A monster that, unknown to the Bad Men, could no longer be contacted. 

Because she'd killed it long ago. 

El swallowed past the nausea and bile rising in her throat, barely holding back the shudder that threatened to run through her at his touch and nodded obediently. 

Play your role, she told herself. He can't suspect. 

'Yes, Papa.' she said, quietly. 

'Don't be afraid,' he said, running a hand over her shaved head. 'I'll be waiting here for you when you get back.' 

'I'm not afraid,' she said, and it was true. 

She couldn't remember a time she'd been less afraid. 

'That's a girl,' he said, squeezing her shoulder, before turning to the other people waiting beside her with the hazmat suit, and  
nodded at them to do their work. 

Eleven mechanically stepped into the suit they held out, feeling the heavy material sliding up over her naked legs. 

It was heavy, and cumbersome, almost tipping her over. Rough hands steadied her, and she held up her arms, which were trembling uncontrollably, muscles twitching and jumping as they put the top half on her, complete with a mask to protect her lungs from the unknown atmosphere. 

But the suit had another purpose, one they didn't know she knew of. She'd overheard Papa telling the cold, mean woman that shaved her head that they'd placed a tracking device and a microphone inside the suit so that they'd be able to find her and bring her back no matter what happened. 

'Can you hear me, Eleven?' a voice came to life in her ear, making her jump slightly.

'Yes'. 

'Good. We'll be able to contact you at any moment while you're in there. You won't be alone for a second.' 

'Okay,' she said, turning to look at him, nodding her head to show she understood. Her insides twisted nauseously at the look in  
his cold blue eyes, anticipation and greed brightening them, though he kept his face blank, trying to mask his excitement. 

But Eleven knew. He couldn't hide it from her. 

Brenner straightened his tie, and took a step back, clearing his throat, and nodding decisively. 

'We're ready here,' he told the others in the room and they all began to file out. Eleven saw them begin to crowd into an observation room across from her, taking seats and talking among themselves, their faces abuzz with excitement and curiosity. 

An observation room where they would be protected, where they would be safe. 

'Are you ready, Eleven?' 

She nodded, mask flopping slightly, turning towards the gate which seemed to breathe, to pulsate. Seemed to beckon. 

Yes, she thought, taking a deep breath. I am ready. 

Eleven took her first step towards the gate, legs feeling too heavy in the suit, but she kept going forward, reaching the skin coloured gateway. 

She paused, and looked back one more time to see her Papa striding out of the room without even a backward glance at her, not even bothering to pretend to care. 

She straightened her shoulders, eyes narrowing, as she stepped forward and entered the gate. 

Her heart slammed against her ribs, as she pushed through the thick, flesh-like opening, muscles tensing, waiting for hard hands to yank her back, desperately afraid they would. 

She was close, so close. 

But no hands came. 

The walls squeezed at her, seeming to loosen and tighten around her like a living, breathing creature. Her breath turned into sharp, short gasps as panic rose inside her, and she squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to keep moving forward. 

She pushed her gloved hand out in front of her, reaching, and gasped when she felt it pass through another gate into open air. 

She stepped out hesitantly, the sticky, string membranes that dripped from the walls soaking and staining her suit, and looked around, her eyes wide. 

It was even more terrifying than she remembered. A perfect reflection of the lab on the other side of the gate, but barren, cold and dripping with the grey, lumpy slime that seemed to cling to every surface, including the vines that looked like the limbs of a tentacle creature she'd once seen in a book, that hung from the walls, and spread across the floors, threatening to trip her. 

She stepped out further, her feet sticking to the substance on the ground, making a loud, squelching noise every time she moved. 

It was pitch black, and Eleven wouldn't have been able to see a foot in front of her if not for the torch on top of her suit that had flickered on as she'd stepped through. She lifted her head to the sky, and reached a hand out to catch one of the white, ash like lumps that fell from the sky and seemed to hang in the air. 

Eleven took another step, her foot catching on a large mass at her feet and she fell back, landing hard on her bottom, the impact jarring the air from her lungs. She coughed hard, and then froze, throat constricting at what lay in front of her. 

She stared, icy horror tightening every muscle in her body and leaving her paralysed, at the corpse of the monster she had killed two years ago. 

She snapped out of her shock, scrambling away from the remains on her hands and feet. She wrapped her arms around herself, rocking slightly, terror a living breathing thing inside her. 

There wasn't much left of whatever it had been, except a inhuman skeleton, the dark open hole that it had been it's mouth open in an everlasting scream.

The speaker in her ear suddenly cracked to life. Eleven twitched, her fingers digging painfully through the pants of her suit into the skin beneath, forcing herself to focus. She stiffened at the familiar voice that came through, pushing the fear away with an iron will that they, ironically, had forged. 

She rose slowly, carefully to her feet, and turned to face the gate. 

It was time. 

'Eleven, can you hear me?' 

Yes, she thought, I hear you. 

But this time she wasn't listening to their lies. It was their turn to hear hers.

'The monster...It's here....it's right here...it's looking at me..' she whispered, forcing her breath to shudder out, using her real fear of what hid in the dark, as she looked at the empty landscape, and then down at all that remained of the monster that used to call this place home. 

Her face hardened, determination filling her, as she took another step forward. 

'That is good, Eleven. No need to be afraid. What does it look like? We need you to get closer, to get a better description.'

'NO! NO! HELP ME. It's coming for me,' she screamed into the hidden mic, pure terror in her voice. 

It turns out I'm a better liar than you, she thought, as she heard his breath speed up. 

'Eleven? Eleven?' 

Eleven reached out with her mind, using a tiny tendril of her power to mess with the connection, making it fizzle and weaken,  
buzzing static replacing the frantic voice on the other end. 

She could barely make out his frantic demands, only a echoing whisper coming through the mic. 

'Get her out of there now. We can't lose her or we lose everything.' 

I don't think so, she thought, and let out one more desperate, agonising scream, putting all the anger, all the torment, all the fear, all the frustration she had felt over the last fifteen years into it. 

She turned to the pulsating wall behind her, and lifted her chin, holding her hands up as she reached deep for her powers, pulling it up from her very core. She felt it filling her, warmth spreading through every inch of her body until it reached her fingertips, and focused everything she had on the gate. 

She watched as it seemed to shudder and twitch, as if it was fighting what she was trying to do. 

But it wouldn't win. 

She pushed more of her power out, ignoring the sticky, irritating drip of blood running down her nose and ears and the pain  
pulsing in her temples that was so sharp she felt like her skull would crack and split open any second. 

She couldn't stop, she couldn't go back. 

She fell to her knees, hands still held out, gasping for breath as her lungs seemed to burn, and watched as the gate seemed to shudder inwards, the pulsating skin-coloured flesh closing inch by inch until it joined. Until there was nothing left but a faint, white scar line, the only sign it had ever existed. 

Eleven slumped forward, gasping for breath, her trembling arms the only thing holding her up and stared at the scar line, stunned joy widening her eyes. 

She had done it. She had really done it. It was completely sealed, on both sides. There was no way for them to come for her. No possible way for them to keep her imprisoned. Not anymore.

'Eleven? Eleven, answer me! Are you there?' Brenner demanded, voice shaking with fear and anger. 

Anger that she was gone, that she had escaped, and fear of what would happen to him now he'd failed. 

Yes, she thought faintly, rising up on her knees shakily, blood drying flakily on her face and neck. That's right. You lost. 

Eleven reached up with trembling, weak arms and lifted the helmet off her head, uncaring of what the atmosphere could do to her. 

She barely noticed she was shivering, the icy cold air running over the exposed skin of her face and neck as she used shaking  
fingers to search the inside of the helmet until she found what she was looking for. 

A tiny blinking red light that gave away the tracking device that had tagged her with. Like she was an animal or their property. 

She focused the last dregs of her power on the blinking light and watched, satisfied, as it shattered into tiny pieces. Her head grew suddenly heavy and she collapsed to the cold, lumpy ground, barely above to move, her muscles aching and weak. 

As her eyes closed and she felt the darkness of unconsciousness beginning to pull her away, she couldn't back the wide, triumphant smile that spread across her cheeks. 

She'd escaped. She was free. 

**  
Eleven had been waiting, quietly and patiently, for her chance to escape for two long years. The longest years of her life. She had been too afraid to try before, scared of the unknown and the possible evils that she could be awaiting her outside the metal doors of the lab that was her prison. The familiar evils had seemed better, safer, than the unknown. 

It had only taken meeting Will Byers when he been dragged into the Upside Down by a monster that called it home, and his promise of a safe place, a real home, if she ever escaped to change her mind and give her the courage to start planning. 

When she had helped him escape and realised she had the ability to open and close the gates to the parallel dimension she knew she had a chance. 

And she took it. 

The Bad Men had sent her back into that terrifying place over and over, desperate to make contact with a creature from another  
dimension, to make history. Eleven had played her part, willingly going back again and again, pretending to be unable to contact the creature, the creature she had killed when it had tried to stop Will escaping. 

It had taken almost two years of failed attempts before Dr Brenner, or Papa as she had called him, had decided the best method of contact would be direct. And they'd started making plans to send her through the gate. 

But they had made a single mistake. They had underestimated the young girl they had tortured, experimented on, and used as a human lab rat for fifteen years. They hadn't believed her capable of closing the portal, of having that much power. 

They'd been wrong. And now she was free. 

It didn't matter to her that she was now trapped in a parallel dimension. Eleven could, and would, open another gate when the  
time came. She only had to wait. 

So she did. 

She only used small bursts of her power for a few minutes at a time, rationing it for when she really needed it, so she could take a peek into her dimension. She felt her satisfaction growing each time she looked through the divide, despite how tired, hungry, thin and weak she was becoming, as she saw the lab quickly falling apart. 

As the weeks turned into months, and there was still no sign of finding a way to get her back, those in charge shut the lab down permanently, claiming their incompetence caused the death of the "asset", and they had no need for incompetent staff. 

She watched as Brenner obsessively, frantically, growing less poised, less in control with every day, searched for a way to bring her back. And she watched as two months after she escaped, men in a van with guns strapped to their hips came to take him away.  
He tried to fight, pointing his own gun at them, his eyes wide and almost manic, usually perfectly styled hair sticking up on end. 

'You don't understand what you're giving up here. The things she could do for us. She's going to make us famous. She's still out there, I know it!' 

It took four of the men to hold him down, clapping handcuffs on his wrists and marching him out while he still screamed, the sound high and insane. 

Two of the people who'd worked with Brenner watched quietly, unaware that they themselves were being watched and listened to. 

'He's a risk now, a liability', a man Eleven didn't recognise said, sipping his coffee, expression hard and uncaring. 

'Yes,' the woman replied, watching and shaking her head as Brenner was dragged away, kicking and screaming, her perfectly coiffed blonde hair not even shifting at the movement.

'He's completely lost his mind. If he can't keep quiet, they'll make sure he stays quiet some other way. My guess is we'll be reading about the supposed mental break of one Dr. Martin Brenner in the next few weeks.' 

Eleven knew in that moment that she was completely free. As far as they were concerned she'd died trying to make contact with the creature and the one person who believed she was alive was going to be locked away. There was no-one to come after her. 

It took four months before the lab was empty, completely abandoned by the so-called Department of Energy, nothing but papers and some furniture left behind, and she could return. 

She used the reserve of power she'd been building over time, keeping still and sleeping most of the day so she didn't use any excess energy, to open a small gap between the dimensions, just big enough for her to slip through. 

She stepped towards the opening and squeezed her hand and then her arm through, gasping at the warmth on the other side. The Lab had always seemed so cold to her before but now burned like a furnace. 

She took a deep breath, her drained powers barely holding the passage open and stepped quickly through, squeezing past the pulsating flesh like walls and fell heavily onto her knees on the tiled ground on the other side, the impact jarring her entire body, shaking her bones. 

She lifted her head, and smiled at the empty, quiet room. She came shakily to her feet, wiping absently at her nose using her paper gown that was now nothing more than a stained, tattered rag. 

Eleven walked at a frustratingly slow pace, body limping, aching and weak, through the empty halls and out through the front door, that, to her surprise, they hadn't even bothered to lock.

She stepped out into the weak, afternoon sunlight, squinting. She closed her eyes, sighing happily as the heat of it rushed over her, warming her chilled skin and she basked in it, enjoying every second after being so cold for so long. 

She raised her face to the sky and opened her eyes, mouth falling open, as she stared at her first glimpse of the sky. It was so pretty, the blue the lightest she'd ever seen, the clouds so fluffy she could imagine how soft they'd be to touch. 

The photos she'd seen in books hadn't done it justice. 

Her stomach rumbled, wringing itself painfully, reminding her she hadn't had anything to eat for months, except for the bars and sandwiches she'd managed to steal using her powers before people had left the lab. 

Eleven shook her head, her hunger focusing her, and limped her way to the gates. She focused her eyes on the lock, struggling to concentrate, head dizzy and so light she was afraid it would fall off. 

It snapped off after a long few minutes and fell to the grass below. She pushed the gate open with a loud metallic creak that made her flinch, glancing around fearfully, afraid that someone would jump out and grab her any second. 

She walked as quickly as she could out into the woods, heading towards where she remembered Will's house had been in the Upside Down. Her eyes were red-rimmed and barely staying open, her body heavy and sluggish, but she never faltered, esperate to get to her destination. To get to safety. 

She was so focused on her thoughts, and looking around her at all the things she'd never seen in person that she didn't realised she was being followed until a twig snapped behind her, shockingly loud in the silence surrounding them. 

She froze, pure fear spreading like ice through her veins, panic making her brain go fuzzy, as she felt a large, calloused hand grasp her shoulder. 

She gasped, letting out a small, frightened cry, struggling desperately but weakly to get out of their grip, to get away. 

They had found her. They were going to take her back. All of it, all those months starving, cold and alone in the Upside Down was for nothing. 

The hand turned her, touch surprisingly gently, and a bright light suddenly shone straight into her eyes. 

Eleven, flinched, her eyes closing to slits as she raised a hand to block it out. 

A deep, masculine voice muttered a word Eleven didn't understand, 'Shit', before the light was lowered to her neck so it no longer blinded her. 

She looked up, staring up at the man holding her there, and blinked. 

He was huge, with broad shoulders and thick arms. He had a weathered face, with a scruffy unkempt beard and moustache, and thin, unsmiling lips. But his blue eyes were soft, and seemed kind. 

He was looking down at her as if stunned, disbelief racing across his face.

'Eleven? Are you Eleven?' 

She blinked at him, her mouth falling open, eyes going wide with shock. 

Who was this man? And how did he know her name?

'My name is Jim Hopper', the man said, as if he could read her mind, his voice gruff and deep, 'I'm the Sheriff here in Hawkins. I know your friend, Will. Will Byers.' 

The Bad Men had never known about Will. She had never told them, knowing that if she did they would go after him, and she had to protect him. This Hopper man couldn't be one of them if he knew Will. 

'Will. He...okay?' she choked out, throat dry and voice hoarse from disuse, eyes huge in her too thin face, her cheekbones pushing sharply against her skin. 

He hurriedly took off his jacket, draping it over her thin, bony shoulders, tucking it around her, protecting her from the still cool  
spring air. Eleven flinched at the touch, taking a quick stumbling step back, leaves cracking under her feet. 

Hopper paused, looking down at her pale, frightened face and backed away slowly. 

'I won't hurt you, I promise', he said softly. 

Eleven, to her surprise, believed him, though she wasn't sure why. 

Maybe it's his eyes, she thought. They were kind and warm, unlike Papa's who had always been cold even when he was smiling. 

Hopper's face hardened as he looked at her, lips pressing together. 

What the hell had the people in the lab done to her?

She was so thin it reminded him of the photos he'd seen of P.O.W.s after they'd been held in camps for months, her ribs sticking out under what remained of what was possibly once a hospital gown but was now nothing but a stained and ripped scrap of material. She was covered in a layer of unimaginable grime that he thought it would take weeks for her to get clean. 

He blinked, shaking his head, and focused back on her when he noticed her frowning slightly, waiting for an answer. 

'Yes, he's safe. Thanks to you', he said, answering her question, 'He's home. He told me what you did for him, how you helped him escape from where...uh...where he was. He told us the people at the Hawkins's lab were holding you, and I've been looking for you since he got back. Trying to figure out a way to get you out. I thought when they left that they'd taken you with them.' 

'No,' she said, coughing slightly, swaying on her feet, 'I...escape.' 

He grabbed her as her knees buckled, swinging her up into his arms, where she hung limply, her body way too light.

'It's okay. You're okay. You're safe now.' 

It was the last thing she heard before she drifted away into unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I can't believe the response I've already gotten for this story. Thank you so much :) Hopefully you like the second chapter just as much.

Wednesday April 22nd 1987

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. He was so late. 

Mike Wheeler rushed through the narrow halls of his high school, dodging other students as they also rushed to their classes, hair sticking up messily from where he'd been running his hands through it as he sped to school. 

Why did he have to sleep in today of all days, the only day he had English first? Mr. Kane already hated him, since he was a total dunce in English, and the last thing he needed was to be late and annoy him even more. 

He was puffing by the time he finally reached his locker, quickly opening it and stuffing his books into his bag, hopping from foot to foot anxiously. 

He groaned when someone barrelled into him from him, pressing him into the locker hard and slamming the door shut on his fingers. 

'Shit', Mike cried out, yanking his hand out from the door, hissing as he shook his stinging fingers which were bleeding from the several layers of the skin the moron behind him had just scrapped from them. 

'Watch where you're going next time...' Mike said, whirling around to tell off the idiot. 

His words died on his tongue however, his entire body stilling, as his dark eyes met a pair of warm brown ones which were wide with concern and a touch of fear. 

'I'm sorry,' the girl said quickly, voice trembling, as she ducked her head, clutching her books to her chest so tightly her  
fingertips turned white. 

'No, it's okay,' Mike began quickly, guilt rising in him at the fear in her eyes, but she was already hurrying away, her long legs moving fast. 

The girl shot him a nervous look over her shoulder, biting her lip. Mike met her gaze, muscles locked into place, a helpless look on his face as she looked forward again, shoulders hunching before she turned the corner and out of sight. 

'Damn it,' he muttered, smacking his head back against his now closed locker, wincing at the dull pain that pulsed from the impact. 

Wow, he thought, way to make an impression on a pretty girl, Wheeler. 

He squeezed his eyes shut, and turned with an annoyed puff to reopen his locker and pull out the rest of his books and shove them into his bag. 

And she was definitely was pretty, he mused.

She had looked like a fairy from one of his sister Holly's story books. All softness and contrasting angles. Sharp cheekbones and rounded cheeks, full pouting mouth and pointed chin. Her eyes were huge, the colour like honey or the syrup he liked to pour over his eggs every morning. Her dark hair was shorter than all the other girls in school, barely brushing over the bottom of her neck, and she'd been wearing a pink dress with soft grey leggings underneath, something all the other girls had stopped doing in middle school. 

He made his way to his first class, avoiding Mr. Kane's dark glare as he walked in ten minutes late, barely avoiding a detention, and quickly focused on the work on the chalkboard, all thoughts of the mysterious girl leaving his thoughts. 

He didn't think of her again until lunch when he sat down with his food and found his friend's talking excitedly about a new student, something that never happened in Hawkins. 

'Hey Mike! Have you heard about the new girl?' Dustin asked him through a huge bite of his burrito to Lucas's disgust, his face scrunching up. 

'Dude, so gross,' he muttered, pushing his own food away, gagging slightly. 

Dustin's eyebrows drew together in confusion, cheeks bulging with food, head swivelling to look at both of them. 

'What?' he asked, spitting out bits of food as he spoke. 

Lucas threw his hands up in the air, and Mike sighed, used to their stupid bickering, and quickly answered Dustin's question before a real argument broke out. 

'No. What new girl?'

Dustin swallowed, excited to share the information he'd gotten over the first four periods. 

'Chief Hopper's cousin. Or second cousin or something. She's the reason he left last year. Apparently he adopted her or something after her parents died in a car crash, and the rumour going around is that she's a mute, can't say a word. No-one has heard her say anything all day'.

Lucas rolled his eyes. 

'You're such an old gossip, Dustin. And that's such bullshit. She talked in class today.' 

'Oh yeah? What did she say then?' Dustin demanded, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Lucas's face pulled down into an annoyed scowl and he mumbled under his breath. 

'Here. To the roll call.' 

'Ha. See! That's probably the only word she knows'. 

Mike saw Lucas opening his mouth to retort, a dark scowl on his face, and quickly intervened, not wanting the conversation to  
end up an all out brawl. 

'What does she look like?' Mike asked, his forkful of food hanging halfway to his mouth, curiosity running through him. 

Could the girl from this morning be Hopper's cousin?

Lucas turned to him, shrugging, and chewed his sandwich thoughtfully. 

'Short hair, pale skin, brown eyes. Wearing a pink dress. I don't know, man. Why? ' 

'I think I ran into her this morning. Well...actually she ran into me.' 

'Yeah? Did she say anything??' Dustin asked, leaning forward in his seat excitedly.

'What are we talking about?' Will asked, squeezing in between Mike and Lucas, putting his tray down on the table, eyebrows  
raised. 

'The new girl. Hopper's cousin. According to the rumour mill, she's a mute'. 

Will rolled his eyes at that and began to unwrap his knife and fork. 

Mike just shrugged at Dustin's question. 

'Not much. Just sorry for bumping into me.' 

'Ha!' Lucas said, mimicking Dustin's earlier words and pointing a finger at him, 'I told you she wasn't a mute.' 

'Uh...guys, I'd keep your voices down if I were you.' 

'Why?' Dustin asked, frowning at Will, confused. 

'Because she's sitting right behind you,' Will said, lips twitching in amusement as they all blanched, mouths hanging open at his  
words. 

Dustin let out a nervous giggle, tugging on his hair slightly, and Lucas looked like he would be blushing if he could, his cheeks darkening. 

Mike choked on his food, coughing slightly, as they all turned their heads and they goggled at the girl in question, who was sitting by herself at the table behind them, eating quietly and reading a dog-eared copy of Anne of Green Gables. 

Heat rushed to Mike's cheeks and he quickly turned around, beyond mortified. 

Shit! I hope she didn't hear us, he thought. 

Will lowered his voice, leaning across the table towards them. He glanced at the girl for a moment to make sure she wasn't listening before he spoke quietly. 

'She's already managed to get on Troy's bad side. I heard he tried to pass her a note in class, chucking it on her desk, but she just looked at him before flicking it onto the floor. Didn't even read it. Troy was beyond pissed.' 

Lucas's eyes widened. 

'Shit. She doesn't know what she's in for.' 

'I think she's about to find out,' Dustin hissed, gesturing frantically at something behind them. 

They all whirled around as a loud bang sounded through the suddenly quiet cafeteria. Troy, the resident bully, stood above the girl, sneering, her tray of food splattered across the tiled across beneath her. 

She stiffened, spine going taut, and looked up at him coolly, her eyes unblinking, as he leaned over her, trying to appear intimidating. 

'That's what you get for being a bitch, mute. Maybe you'll think twice next time', Troy drawled loud enough for everyone to hear, smirking as he turned to walk away, his friends cackling beside him. 

The girl raised an eyebrow at his back, and jerked her chin up slightly in his direction. Troy's feet suddenly slipped from under him, his arms flapping wildly in the air to try and steady himself, before he fell backwards into the mess of food he'd just created, the bottom of his jeans soaking in it. 

His face turned as red as a tomato as he glanced around, mortified, as the other students stared at him, mouths hanging open. 

The cafeteria was silent for a moment before it erupted with laughter. Troy went even redder and scrambled to his feet, rushing from the room, the tips of his ears red and his face squished up into a scowl. 

Mike slapped a hand over his mouth, shaking with a laughter, a small snort erupting from him, while Dustin clutched his sides, gasping for breath and Lucas's eyes filled with tears, his nostrils flaring with mirth. 

Will was the only one who didn't laugh. His face had drained of all colour, going pale in a way it hadn't in almost a year. 

He stared at the new girl as she stood, her head up and face revealed for the first time. The cry he tried to choke back managed to escape, coming out as a strangled squeak as he watched, wide-eyed, as she calmly walk out the cafeteria, arms swinging by her sides, purple backpack pulled over one shoulder and her book tucked under her arm. 

Lucas exchanged a worried look with Mike, reaching out to shake Will's shoulder. 

'Will, you alright, man?' 

He swallowed hard, shaking his head and shot shakily to his feet. 

'I just remembered...I forgot something I need for my Art Project that's due tomorrow....I better go grab it. See you in class,' he said so quickly his words jumbled together.

They all stared at him, stunned, as he frantically threw his bag over his shoulder and almost ran out of the cafeteria. 

'I wonder what that was about?' Mike muttered, frowning. 

Dustin and Lucas shrugged at him, before turning back to their lunch, unconcerned. 

Mike sent one last worried look over his shoulder in the direction Will had disappeared before dragging his focus back on his lunch.  
***

The girl, formerly known only by a number, and now known as El Hopper, the pretend adopted cousin of Chief Jim Hopper, stomped down the school hallway, her face folded into a dark frown. Her face felt hot, blood rushing to her cheeks, anger a clawing creature inside her that was trying to get out. 

Her fingers clenched into the fabric of her dress, finally able to show her true emotions now she was away from the curious and staring eyes that had followed her all day. Eyes that she could still feel burning into her back, the sensation reminding her of the cameras and eyes that had always been on her in the Lab. 

It made her feel trapped, like an insect held down by a pin. And she hated it. 

El barely bit back the strangled scream trying to escape her throat, shaking with rage as she pushed the front doors of the school open, stepping out into the fresh, warm air. Her ears rang as she stomped across the grass towards a tree, and ducked into the shade, dropping her bag and beginning to pace back and forth, barely resisting the urge to go back in there and do....something...anything to that horrible boy. 

But she couldn't. And she knew it. If she went in there, El knew she would do more than just trip that boy. And she couldn't resist exposing herself, no matter how much she wanted him to pay. And she really didn't want to disappoint Hopper. Not after everything he had done for, taking her and keeping her safe. Treating her like she was his own daughter. 

El gritted her teeth, struggling to keep a hold on the leash she kept on her powers, feeling it slipping with every second as she remembered the humiliation she had felt when her food had been knocked down and everyone had stared. 

She turned and kicked the trunk of the tree, crying out as pain vibrated up her leg, her toes throbbing hotly. But the pain distracted her, giving her something else to focus on than the anger and El felt her powers begin to settle and calm within her. She let out a heavy sigh, her anger fading away slightly, and pressed her head against the cool bark of the tree. 

She hated people like that. People who thought they could get away with intimidating others, and bullying them, to get what they wanted. People like Brenner, who had used her fear of being alone and in the dark to punish her when she wouldn't do the horrible things he wanted to her, like kill an innocent animal. 

But, if she was being truly honest with herself, and she tried to be as often as possible, she was more angry at herself then that rat-faced boy. Because, despite what she had promised herself when she'd escaped, when he had come up behind her and knocked her food to the ground, for a single second she had been afraid, frozen and unable to react. And she hated herself for it. 

She hated that the little girl who had lived in fear was still inside her, despite the power she knew she held. 

'Eleven!' 

A voice called from behind her, frantic and out of a breath, pulling her from her thoughts. El's heart skipped a beat, before seeming to beat twice as fast, her muscles locking together, shock filling her entire body.

All angry colour drained from her face, leaving her white, shaky and so dizzy she thought she was going to faint. 

El knew that voice. She had brought it into her mind over and over throughout the years to remind herself of what she was fighting for. A life outside the Lab, freedom that he had taught her about. 

And it was calling her name. Her REAL name. 

She whirled around, almost tripping in her haste, her throat tightening and burning with unshed tears, as she stared at the familiar boy who stood a foot away from her, leaning on his knees and trying to catch his breath. 

But his eyes were focused and staring at her in shocked disbelief. 

His tall frame shook slightly as he rose to his full height, now more than a head and a half taller than her to her surprise. She'd been taller than him before. But that wasn't all that was different. 

He'd changed so much over the years. Not only was he now a giant to her, but his strange haircut had grown out into a floppy mop that fell into his eyes, and his delicate, almost feminine features had sharpened and become more masculine, all softness gone from his cheeks and body. 

But, to her relief, his eyes were the same. A soft and warm brown, so wide and guileless, eyes she knew she'd always trust. They had once reminded her of a puppy in a child's book she'd read, as she'd told him when they'd first met and made him laugh, despite the nightmare he'd been living. 

He was here. He was safe. It wasn't all for nothing. 

'Will', she breathed out, swallowing back the lump in her throat. 

Will blinked at her, taking a cautious step forward, head cocked the side as he spoke carefully, afraid that if he moved too fast or spoke too loud she'd disappear in a puff of smoke like she used to in the Upside Down. 

'It's you, isn't it? It's really you.' 

She nodded, head jerky, as she swallowed back the lump in her throat. 

'Oh my god', he said, rushing forward and yanking her into his arms and hugging her tightly. 

It was the first time they've ever touched, Will thought, happily. She was solid, warm and real in his arms. 

It was her, she was really there. 

Will pulled back slightly, and studied her intently, eyes roving over her face. 

The last time he'd seen her she'd been a small, terrified girl with a shaved head, blood dripping down her face and neck, fighting a monster scarier than anything he'd ever imagined, distracting it to give him a chance to slip through the portal and go home. To be free in a way she never would be. 

She had sent him a tiny, quivering smile, tears gleaming in her eyes, before turning away, face determined. 

He'd thought she had died. That the creature had killed her. And had barely slept for weeks, months even, thinking of her dead, or, perhaps worse, locked away in that cold lab near his house with no way out. 

But here she was. Alive and so different from before. 

Her hair was no longer buzz cut, nut-brown and cut into a pretty pixie-style, there was a fullness to her cheeks that hadn't been there before, and her honey brown eyes were brighter and happier, not as filled with pain and shadows. 

EL gave him a quick squeeze back, fighting the urge to pull away, stiffening slightly. 

She knew Will would never hurt her. But in that place, the place that had been her prison for fifteen years, touch had always lead to pain and suffering. Any small show of affection had become a form of payment, a way to get her to use her powers for whatever they wanted. 

It was a hard lesson to unlearn. 

Will felt her tense, and pulled back, looking down into her pale face. He quickly let her go and took a careful step back. 

'I'm sorry. I forgot you don't really like being touched.' 

'It's okay'. 

He ran a shaking hand through his hair, panting slightly, shooting her a devastated look, eyes filled with guilt. 

'I can't believe you're here. I mean you're just...' he gestured at her, just standing there. 

She pulled a face, a little confused. 

'How did you escape? Are you okay? What did they do to you when they found out you killed the creature? Did you kill it? How the  
hell did you end up living with Hopper? I looked for you for months, I swear. I tried to get you out. But I couldn't even get through the gates'.

El blinked at him, overwhelmed by all the questions. 

'Will, it's okay...' she reached out to take his arm, perplexed by his behaviour, trying to comfort him. 

He yanked his arm away, not feeling he deserved her comfort. 

Will didn't notice El flinch at his abrupt movement, too distracted by his own guilty thoughts. 

'No, it's not. If it wasn't for you I'd be dead. The monster would have killed me or I'd still be stuck there. You saved me life, Eleven.  
And I left you in that lab to rot.' 

'There's nothing you could've done to help me. And it's El now...' she said, quickly, unable to handle being called by that name, the very sound making her shudder.

'How did you escape? How did you do it? 

'I....' 

The bell rang, signalling the end of lunch. They both deflated slightly, wanting, needing to talk. 

His frantic eyes snapped to hers, and he gently caught her hands in his. 

'Come to my house after school. We can catch up there', he asked, urgently, afraid she would disappear. 

El nodded quickly, seeing the fear and desperation he tried to hide from her.

'After school', she agreed. 

He let out a breathe, letting go of her hands with a sheepish smile. 

'What class do you have now?' he asked as they strolled side by side back inside the school, their classmates rushing and  
squeezing past them to their own classes. 

She glanced down at the schedule she had written on her arm this morning, squinting slightly. 

'I have double Biology with Mr. Harris.' 

'Me too! Come on, you can sit with me and my friends, and I'll introduce you. Remember the ones I told you about in....there.' 

She nodded, vaguely remembering him telling her about his friends in the early days of their week together in the Upside Down, but was unable to remember their names. 

She followed after him silently, excitement rising in her at the thought of finally meeting the friends Will had told her some much about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always let me know what you think :) Next chapter will be El meeting everyone, as you probably guessed, but plenty of Mileven to look forward to :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They all finally meet :)

'Is that Will with the new girl? Is he actually talking to a girl?' Dustin asked, face stunned, pointing at where Will pushed through the throng of other students finding their seats, tugging a girl behind him by her forearm. 

She had a nervous look on her face, and her shoulders were hunched, as if she was trying to make herself appear smaller. As if she was afraid of the crowd of people. 

Mike stared at the two of them, before shrugging, trying to appear uninterested, though for some strange reason his stomach clenched, throat burning at the sight of Will practically holding the new girl's hand. 

It was ridiculous. Why would he be jealous? He didn't even know her. 

'Stranger things have happened, you know,' he said under his breath, pretending to be busy getting ready for class. 

'When?' Lucas whispered, eyes almost bulging, as they finally reached them. 

Will grinned at their shocked faces, fighting the urge to laugh. He quickly let go of El's arm, however, when he saw all three of his friends staring down at where his arm hand was wrapped around it. 

'Hey guys, this is El. Mom asked me to look out for her today, but I totally forgot. El, these are my friends I told you about. Mike,   
Dustin and Lucas', Will lied smoothly, pointing at each of them as he spoke. 

El smiled nervously, waving at them. 

'Hello.' 

'So you can talk!' Dustin exclaimed, leaning forward eagerly. 

Lucas groaned, burying his face in his hand, and Mike flushed in embarrassment, shooting Dustin a 'what the hell' look. 

'Seriously, Dustin?' he muttered

El blinked at Dustin, bewildered. 

'Yes...' she said, drawing out the word slowly, and looking at him like he was insane.   
Her eyes darted anxiously to Will and he just shook his head, beyond exasperated, and rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. 

'Just ignore him.' 

'Okay,' she said, stepping away from Dustin's desk as he grinned at her in a way that made her lip twitch up despite the   
awkwardness, like his smile was contagious. 

'Nice to meet you, El', Lucas said quickly, trying to prove that some of them were normal, and sent her a small but kind smile. 

Mike watched as the girl, El, peeked at him out of the corner of her eye, avoiding direct eye contact, and he looked down, biting his lip. 

Guilt gnawed at his stomach, as he remembered the frightened look in her eyes that morning. God, I hope she doesn't remember that was me. 

'You're Chief Hopper's cousin, aren't you?' Mike asked abruptly, trying to see if she recognised him. 

'Yes', El said, turning fully towards him, eyebrows drawn together in surprise, 'How did you know?'

Dustin shook his head, chuckling wryly. 

'It's a small town. Everyone knows everything about everyone here.' 

Mike noticed that El didn't look too happy about that, her face scrunching up into a frown. 

'You two better sit down. Harris keeps glaring this way', Lucas warned them, quickly opening his book. 

Will looked at the two tables, and saw there were only two seats left, one on each of them. 

He glanced at El, worriedly, before turning to his friends. 

'Uh...do one of you guys mind moving so El and I can...' Will began but El interrupted him. 

'Will, I'll be fine,' El said, walking over and boosting herself up onto the spare stool at Mike's table. 

'You sure, El?' 

She made a distracted noise of confirmation, as she dug through her backpack, pulling out a pencil case and brand new notebook,   
and rushed to take down the notes that the teacher was putting up on a projector set up in the middle of the room. 

Mike looked at Will, sending him a pleading look, silently begging him to help him. 

He was good at a lot of things. Talking to girls was definitely not one of them. 

Will just shrugged, expression amused, before taking the seat between Dustin and Lucas. 

Mike sent her a nervous look but El was too busy writing down the notes from the projector, head down, hand moving quickly. 

She paused after a moment, looking up and catching him staring. She looked at him for a long moment before raising her eyebrows, waiting for him to speak. 

Mike's mind raced, searching desperately for something to say. 

'So..uh...how do you know Will?' 

Her eyes widened, and she quickly looked back to the board, mind scrambling for something believable to tell him. 

'Oh...um....Hopper took me to their house last week when we moved here. We met then.' 

'Huh', Mike said, frowning over at his friend, who kept glancing at them, almost protectively, 'he didn't mention it. 

'He might have forgotten to,' El shrugged, chewing on the end of her pencil in a way she hoped looked casual. 

'Maybe. I'm Mike by the way.' 

She gave a small half-smile. 

'I know. I ran into you this morning, didn't I?'

Mike's blinked, surprised.

So she did remember him. 

'Uh...yeah, you did.' 

'Is your hand okay? Does it hurt?' she asked, abruptly taking his hand in her small, cold ones, studying the sore, red skin, and   
looking up at him through her lashes, concerned. 

Her cold hands made him jerk, butterflies fluttering in his stomach at the unexpected touch, and Mike yanked his fingers away, placing them in his lap. Heat rushed to his cheeks, and he glanced over at his friends, anxiously, but to his relief they hadn't noticed the hand-holding, or his reaction to it, their focus on the projector out front. 

Mike cleared his throat to cover his reaction, avoiding her perplexed stare. 

'I'm fine. It doesn't even hurt anymore. I'm really sorry about...ah...startling you this morning. I overreacted.' 

'It's okay', she whispered, glancing up from writing her notes, her writing messy and uneven, almost childlike. 

He shook his head stubbornly. 

'No, it's not. I feel really bad about it. So here...' he said, flicking a glance at the Mr. Harris who had his back to them, and placed a   
wrapped pile of Eggos from his bag onto her lap. 

Their fingers brushed as she reached for the package, leaving behind a flash of heat that lingered on his skin. 

Mike curled his fingers into a fist, sending her an probing look, surprised by the sensation, but she didn't look up, too fascinated by the bundle she was turning over in her hands, a small frown puckering her lips. 

'I saw Troy knock your food over at lunch and thought you might be hungry. I grabbed these at home this morning and forgot to eat them so...' he trailed off, scratching his arm awkwardly as he turned his head forward, unable to meet her eyes. 

El pulled the package open, and broke off a piece of waffle, studying it. 

'What are they?' she asked, her voice hushed. 

His head swung towards her so fast he was lucky he didn't get whiplash.   
'You've never had an Eggo?', he asked, mouth falling open in surprise. 

She shook her head slowly, looking up at him expectantly. 

'They're really good. You'll like them, trust me.' 

El shot him a look he couldn't decipher, looking down at the waffle unconvinced. She glanced at the teacher, and then back at   
Mike who widened his eyes at her in challenge. She shrugged and popped the broken off piece into her mouth. 

Her eyes went wide as she chewed, and her forehead smoothed, a happy smile spreading across her face, eyes twinkling at him. 

It was the best thing she'd ever eaten. All sweet, almost like caramel but chewier. 

She groaned quietly, and eagerly pulled out another waffle.

Mike laughed loudly at her reaction, slapping a hand over his mouth, and glancing hurriedly down at his notes as Mr. Harris glared at him suspiciously, hands on his hips, from the front of the class. 

Feeling strangely happy and proud of himself, Mike had to bite back a smile as he watched her digging in. 

'I told you'd like them', he said out of the corner of his mouth, 'they taste even better warm and with syrup'. 

El flicked him a look full of disbelief. 

'How could they taste any better?' he heard her mutter doubtfully under her breath. 

Mike caught himself watching her as she listened intently to the teacher in between sneaky bites of Eggos, and how she seemed to   
be fascinated by everything she saw and heard, scribbling frantically, filling page after page of her notebook, making more notes than anyone else in the room. 

He couldn't help but stare at her throughout the double period and how she frowned delicately while listening, her lips pursed, skin between her eyebrows creased and nose scrunched adorably. He worked out that her eyebrows went low when she didn't understand something, but her face seemed to light up when she grasped a concept. 

By the end of the class when Mr. Harris turned off the projector Mike realised he hadn't taken in a single thing all class, too busy watching El. 

Will was waiting impatiently by their desk seconds after the bell rang, as El hopped off her stool, her stuff already packed away. 

'Hopper is picking me up so I'll ask him to take me to yours. I'll see you soon', she promised Will, squeezing his hand reassuringly, before turning back to Mike, smiling. 

'Thank you. For the Eggos.' 

'Uh...you're welcome', he called after her as she walked out the room, shrugging at the curious looks Dustin and Lucas sent him,   
their eyebrows raised. 

The three of them promised to meet out front so Mike could give them a lift home, before he rushed to his locker, where he spotted El putting her books away, her locker across the hall from his. 

He was turning the dial on his lock when he heard a loud metallic bang, and swung around, horrified by what he saw. 

Troy was towering over El, hands clenched by his side, as she curled forward, lip twisting up in pain. The bang had been him pushing her into her locker, and Mike watched helplessly as he stepped closer to her, face furious.

 

***  
A force from behind El pushed her into her locker, the metal ringing with the contact. She cried out, grimacing as her shoulder blades pulsed, bruised, from the impact. Her jaw clenched as her eyes shot open and met the blue ones of the boy who had knocked her lunch over. 

Cold fury rose in her eyes as she looked into his smirking smug face and felt a stirring inside her, her powers coming to life, wanting to rise. 

Not yet, she thought, calming it, letting the power simmer within her, as she flicked a glance at the students in the hall, some craning their necks, others standing frozen, watching with fear and anticipation. 

Not yet. 

'I know you tripped me, mute. You're going to pay for embarrassing me like that', Troy spat, pressing his face close to hers. 

El crossed her arms over her chest, face deliberately blank, the only indication she'd heard him the one eyebrows she raised, as if to say 'prove it'. 

Troy's face darkened as his hands clenched into fists. He pulled his arm back, aiming right for her stomach. 

Mike stomach clenched as he watched, taking a step forward to try and step in between them, to stop Troy somehow. 

His steps faltered when, faster than his eyes could follow, El's hand was over Troy's wrist before he could make contact, squeezing so hard he heard a loud crack. Troy's face crumpled into a pain-filled grimace, colour rising to his cheeks as he tried desperately to pull his arm from her grasp. 

El's used her powers to put more force into her arms as she pushed him away. He stumbled almost a foot away as everyone stared at them, barely daring to breathe. 

'I don't think so', she whispered so only he could hear, taking a deliberate step towards him, watching as his eyes widened in fear.   
He clutched his wrist to his chest, clear red finger-marks circling it, trembling slightly. 

'You don't scare me. You're nothing but a scared little boy. I've dealt with monsters a thousand times scarier than you and I survived. And you should see how things ended for them. So try and hurt me again, and see what happens to you.' 

All the colour drained from Troy's cheeks, but he forced a snicker, rolling his eyes at his friends. 

'Whatever, freak. I'd watch your back if I were you.' 

El glanced at him as he walked past her, shrugging, shoving her books into her locker before slamming it shut. 

'You should watch where you're walking', she muttered under her breath as she tugged her bag over her shoulder, not even   
glancing behind her. 

A locker suddenly burst open in front of Troy, smashing into his face with a loud, metallic crack. 

Troy cried out, clutching his now-crooked nose where blood spurted, running down his fingers and dripping onto the floor. 

He turned startled eyes, cloudy with pain, to El who hadn't looked at him as she walked towards the doors leading to the car park. His face paled even more, realisation dawning on his face, as he rushed away, whimpering. 

Mike stared at El as she passed, his mouth hanging open, and was surprised to see her lips twitch up into a slight smirk. She reached up and wiped her nose with her sleeve, leaving behind a bright red stain on her denim jacket, before her expression went blank, and she walked through the doors. 

What the hell just happened? 

Mike looked at the locker, which was now swinging slightly, and then after her where she'd disappeared through the doors. 

There was no way El could have done that, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think? As always let me know x Sorry if I got the description of Eggos wrong. I have never actually tried one, living in Australia and all, and unfortunately never will because I'm allergic to wheat :( But life goes on lol -K


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I managed to get two chapters edited in one night. On a roll! Hope you all like this chapter, it's one of my favourite ones from this story.

El climbed into the patrol car, slamming the door shut behind her, and leaned her head back against the leather seat with a soft groan.

She closed her eyes, smacking her head softly against the back of the seat, before wincing as a dull headache pounded in her temples at the movement.

Argh, stupid jerk! Her head was going to ache from him making her use her powers for the rest of the night now.

A throat cleared in the small cab of the car, making El's eyes snap open and swing to met the blue eyes of her adoptive father, Jim Hopper.

Hopper was half-turned towards the backseat, his leg bouncing, eyebrows raised at her, clearly worried about her first day at school.

All morning he'd rushed around, and fussed over her, like he was a mother hen and she was the chick going off to her first day of Kindergarten, triple-checking she had everything and asking her repeatedly whether she was nervous.

El had thought it was sweet, though she'd never tell him that, and had almost expected him to start crying when he'd dropped her off.

El gave him a reassuring half-smile, and he relaxed, lip twitching up into his characteristic straight-lipped smile, before he put the car into gear, shifting into the long line of cars inching towards the exit.

'Hey, kiddo. How was your first day? Make any friends?'

El thought of her reunion with Will and his three friend's that she'd met that day.

Dustin, with his wide, cheeky grin that crinkled his eyes, almost making them disappear, that made her feel included and welcome despite his strange questions, and mass of curly hair that seemed to defy gravity.

Lucas, who was taller than even Will, his hair an afro that he kept cropped tight to his head, a hairstyle she only ever seen in a magazine, arms and chest thick with muscles from playing some type of sport. He'd been a little standoffish, but still friendly.

And then there was Mike. The boy with the gangly limbs, sharp features, floppy hair the colour of midnight and freckles that were like the constellations Hopper had taught her made up the night sky. The one who had given her Eggos and whose crooked smile made her heart beat strangely, too fast and all fluttery.

'I think I might have', she said, smiling as swung her legs slightly.

'Make any enemies?' Hopper joked as he narrowed his eyes at the students who were stupid enough to walk in front of the patrol car, sending them dashing across the road with a low chuckle.

'Only the one', she said, expression serious.

He flicked her a look in the rear-view mirror.

'The scary part is I can't tell if you're joking or not.'

El just shrugged at her shoulders as if to say 'you''ll never know'.

'I saw Will today', she told him quietly, as they finally left the carpark, driving towards the outskirts of town.

'Oh?' Hopper said, drawing out the word, flicking her a quick look.

'He didn't know I'd escaped. His Mom didn't tell him that I was living with you.'

He ran a hand over his face, expression suddenly apologetic.

'That's my fault, kid. I asked Joyce to keep it a secret till we came back, until we knew everything was definitely over. Don't be mad at her.'

El nodded after a moment, understanding, but still feeling a little hurt.

'Will asked me to go to his house after school. So we can...catch up', she said slowly, using the expression he'd used earlier that day, not sure if she was saying it correctly.

'Well, that's actually perfect because I have to head back to work for a few hours. How about I drop you off and I'll grab something for dinner before I pick you up? What do you feel like?'

El sat forward in her seat eagerly, pulling her seat belt looser so she could get closer to the front.

'Can you get some Eggos?'

'Eggos? Seriously?' Hopper asked, amused, eyebrows raised at her.

She nodded seriously, frowning, not recognising his teasing tone.

'Yeah, Mike gave me some today. I really liked them.'

'Mike? Mike Wheeler?' he said, eyes narrowing, the amusement draining from his face.

El shrugged, leaning back again and looking out the window as they drove further out of town.

'I think so.'

He looked back at El for a long moment before nodding, lips pursed thoughtfully.

'That was nice of him. He's a good kid, that one.'

They were silent, both lost in their thoughts, El's of what to tell Will, Hopper's filled with idea of El and _boys_ already, until they pulled up to Will's house, the one El had only seen properly in the Upside Down.

It looked so different in the bright day light.

It was more welcoming, not as foreboding, with it's peeling paint and freshly washed clothes fluttering in the slight breeze, instead of the grey coating of slime that had covered it in the other dimension, it's rooms and halls dark, the shadows seeming to hide all sorts of monsters.

'Here you go, kid. I'll be back to pick you up at 6. Say hi to Joyce for me.'

El nodded, leaning forward to press a kiss to his grizzly cheek before scrambling from the car, and walking towards the front door. She turned and waved at Hopper as he drove away, honking the horn at her, and knocked on the door with a small smile.

It was pulled open quickly, a puffing, flushed Will, who had clearly run to answer, standing in the doorway, a excited grin creasing his cheeks. El couldn't help but grin back as he stepped back to let her in.

'Hey, come on in', Will said, eagerly, pulling her inside, shutting the door behind her.

El looked around curiously, remembering how the living room had looked from the Upside Down. She'd only seen it once in this dimension, but had been too weak and exhausted to take much notice of anything.

The letters that had formed an alphabet on the wall were gone, covered by a thick coat of dark blue paint, and there was no sign of the pretty, multi-coloured lights Will had used to talk to his Mom.

It looked...normal. A little messy, and the furniture was threadbare and faded, but it was comfortable and warm. A complete contrast to the cold and sterile lab El had lived in the first fifteen years of her life.

It was a home.

'Hey, Will, who's this...' a familiar voice said as Joyce turned the corner, her lips curving up in a welcoming smile.

She gasped as she caught sight of El standing in the living room. Her mug dropped from her slack fingers, the dark liquid inside  
spilling and soaking into the carpet.

'Oh my god', Joyce said, pressing her hand to her mouth, eyes comically wide as she rushed forward, scooping El into her arms.

El held back the urge to stiffen or flinch, wrapping her arms around Joyce's neck and hugging her back. She breathed in the familiar smell of coffee and cigarettes she remembered from the first time they'd met, and felt herself relax.

She knew Joyce would never hurt her.

Joyce pulled back, putting the girl back on her feet, cupping her cheeks in her hands, tears pooling in her eyes.

'Oh, look at you. You're so beautiful. But I knew you would be.'

Her eyes ran over her, remembering the girl with the short, uneven hair, whose cheekbones had poked through her skin, eyes huge, her tiny body half-starved, so exhausted she'd swayed on her feet in her doorway when Hopper had brought her to her a year ago. The girl who was now the picture of health.

Will looked between them, his mouth hanging open.

'How do you know...?'

El looked at him over Joyce's shoulder.

'We've met before.'

_Joyce opened the door, surprised to see Hopper standing in the doorway. Her eyes darted down and blinked at the young girl leaning heavily against him, stunned._

_She was swamped in his over-sized jacket, the bottom almost brushing the ground, and seemed to sway on her feet, too weak to stand on her own. Her face was pale, eyes huge in her head, and her cheekbones poked through the thin skin on her face. She looked half-starved, painfully thin, as if she hadn't eaten in months._

_She meet Joyce's gaze warily, eyes wide and scared, shivering slightly._

_'What's going on, Hop?' Joyce asked, looking up into his pale and drawn face, as he looked around the front yard suspiciously ._

_'Joyce, it's her. It's Eleven. I found her out in the woods about an hour ago, and I just....I didn't know where else to go, where it would be safe...'_

_Joyce's face blanched and she stared at the girl again, horrified by what she saw and quickly motioned them inside. Hopper picked the girl up, where she hung limply, head flopping, and rushed into the house. Joyce closed the door behind them, and quickly followed him inside._

_She watched as Hopper put Eleven down on the couch gently where she glanced around nervously, her eyes drooping and closing for a second before she startled awake, clearly not trusting them enough to fall asleep. To be that vulnerable._

_Joyce pulled an old afghan off the back of the couch, and tucked it gently around the small girl, snatching her hands back when she flinched away from the touch and curled up, her knees to her chest, letting out a small whimper._

_She bit her lip, feeling like she was going to cry at how frightened the girl was and turned to Hopper who was standing still, face hard and unreadable._

_'Where is everyone?' Hopper asked, listening for any noises from Joyce's two sons, not wanting anyone else to know Eleven was there._

_'Jonathan is at work, and Will is at Mike's. What the hell happened to her, Jim? Where was she?'_

_Jim let out a heavy sigh and sat down on the couch, running a hand over his face, suddenly exhausted. Joyce sat down beside him, balancing on the arm of the couch._

_'I don't know everything. I couldn't get much out of her, she's so tired she can barely see straight and keeps falling asleep. When I found her in the woods, she only managed to ask if Will was okay, tell me she had been in the Lab and that she had escaped._   
_But...' he hesitated, not sure he wanted to tell her, to bring back the panic that had only recently faded from her eyes, but knew he_   
_had to, and continued, 'when she woke up in the car she told me she'd been in the Upside Down, the place where Will was taken._   
_That was how she'd escaped.'_

_Joyce's hand fluttered to her throat, and she turned to look at the girl curled up on her couch, horror rising in her, as she recognised the gunk clinging to her skin and hair, like it had to Will when he'd come back, and the terror that seemed to radiate from her._

_'Oh my god. For how long?'_

_Hopper shook his head, rubbing his eye with his hand, still not quite believing she had survived as long as she did._

_'Four months.'_

_Joyce gasped, tears filling her eyes, and her hands clenched into fists._

_'Those....evil bloody bastards. I don't even want to think about what they were doing to her to make her think that was her only_   
_option. The only way out. How the hell did she survive it?' She said in disbelief, wiping at her wet eyes, before she got to her feet, smacking her hands against her thighs, choosing to focus on the practical stuff, to keep her from sobbing at what was done to this poor girl._

_Joyce turned, face softening and crouched down in front of her. Eleven looked back at her, face blank, but unable to hide the fear darkening her eyes._

_'It's okay, sweetie. No-one is going to hurt you here. You must be starving, and you desperately need a wash. I'm going to fix you something to eat and then we'll sort that out. Is there anything you'd like?'_

_Eleven just blinked at her, confused, and Joyce flushed slightly, as she realised she probably wouldn't even know what to ask for._

_'Right. You don't know...Mac and Cheese. I always love Mac and Cheese when I'm feeling unwell,' Joyce said, nodding decisively, and rushing into the kitchen to pop a packet into the microwave._

_She then quickly walked to the bathroom and turned on the faucets to fill up the tub, making it as warm as possible without burning her. She turned and jumped when she saw Hopper standing in the doorway, holding Eleven in his arms._

_Eleven stared down at the filling tub, and began to struggle in Hopper's arms, tears filling her eyes, kicking so hard that he almost dropped her._

_'No', she begged, her voice cracking and harsh, 'No...water...don't want to go back...please...'._

_Hot tears ran down her cheeks, her nose dripping with snot, and Joyce felt her heart break, remembering what Will had told her about them forcing her into tanks to send her to that awful place. She rushed forward, pulling her out of a bewildered Hopper's arms and cradled her, rocking her gently, and kissing her hair, stiff from the grey slime in the Upside Down._

_'It's okay, sweetheart. This is just a regular bath, so we can get you warm and all cleaned up. You don't ever have to go back to that place, I swear it. You're safe here, and I won't leave you for a second.'_

_Eleven stared up at the woman's kind face and trembling smile, her brown eyes so familiar, and felt herself relaxing slightly, her racing heart slowing, as realisation dawned._

_Her eyes were the same as Will's, the exact same shade of brown._

_She knew who she was now. Will's Mom, Joyce, the woman she had watched with Will in the Upside Down as she had searched for him, trying anything to contact him, to get him back. His Mom who had never given up on him._

_And Eleven knew she could trust her, and that she wouldn't hurt her._

_A real parent would never hurt a child._

_She nodded, closing her eyes, and loosened the death-grip she had on Joyce's arms._

_'Okay.'_

_Joyce smiled, and kissed her head again._

_'Okay, then. Let's get you all cleaned up.'_

Will stared at his Mom as El finished explaining, hurt shining in his eyes.

'How could you not tell me El was alright, Mom? That she'd got out. You knew how guilty I felt about leaving her there.'

Joyce wrung her hands in front of her, expression guilty and nervous.

'I couldn't, Will. After Jim found her out in the woods he asked me not to say anything, not tell anyone where he'd gone or that he  
had taken her with him. No-one could know until he was sure that it was safe and they really believed El was gone. And then he  
could come back and El could just be a normal girl with a fresh start. I wanted to tell you, Will. I truly did.'

'I wouldn't have said anything,' he said, clearly offended.

Joyce looked into his face hard, her hands grasping his shoulders.

'I know you wouldn't have but...you'd just stopped having nightmares, Will. I couldn't bear the thought of you going through that  
again'.

Will's face softened as he looked at his Mom's anxious eyes, unable to stay angry at her.

'You should have told me, Mom', he said, quietly.

'I know, and I'm so sorry. To both of you', Joyce said, turning to El who shook her head, not needing the apology.

Joyce wiped at her eyes, sniffling and gave them a wide, wet smile.

'Who's hungry? Can I get you something to eat?'

El nodded her head eagerly, frowning at Will as he shook his head frantically, waving his hands at her behind Joyce's back.

'Okay. I'll be right back', Joyce said, turning and walking into the kitchen.

Will sighed heavily.

'You are so going to regret that.'

'Why?' El asked, frowning, confused.

'Mom's....not the greatest cook', he said, lowering his voice, glancing anxiously towards the kitchen.

'I can hear you, young man!' Joyce yelled from the kitchen and Will winced, guilt filling his face.

Joyce stuck her head around the corner of the wall, grinning at them.

'And I'll have you know I'm the greatest at ordering pizza', she said, winking at El who giggled, before disappearing back around  
the corner.

'Come on, El', Will said, taking her hand and tugging her towards the backdoor, 'I want to show you something. Mom will let us know when the food gets here.'

They went out the backdoor and into the backyard, walking for a few moments before they came to a familiar sight, the painted sign faded, sheets now yellowed and floppy with age.

'Castle Byers. It's still here,' El breathed, turning wide eyes to Will's who smiled softly at her before crawling inside, El following seconds later.

They sat cross-legged, facing each other in the exact spots as they used in the Upside Down version of his fort. Will looked at her and could see the shared awareness, the shared memories, and the shared nightmares in her eyes and knew they were reflected in  
his own as her lips twisted up into a sad, sympathetic smile.

They were both so different, so changed from the children who used to sit in the cold, foggy darkness together hatching plans on how they could both escape, talking about life outside the lab and things she'd never experienced or heard of, like his Mom, brother, friends, D & D, music and school.

'I don't know where to start', he said after a few minutes of silent staring, both of them waiting for the other to speak.

El shrugged her shoulders, shifting to get more comfortable, sensing it would be a long conversation.

'Just ask me anything. I'll answer if I can.'

Will swallowed against the lump in his throat and asked the question he'd most wanted to ask her, the thought that had plagued him in the early hours of the morning, when he'd been unable to sleep, nightmares haunting him.

'They didn't hurt, did they? When they found out helped me, and you killed the monster?' he asked, voice trembling at the thought of them hurting her because of him.

El's eyes widened at the pain in his eyes and shook her head quickly.

'No, Will, no. They didn't know. I never told them what happened in the Upside Down, they just thought I was drained from trying to contact the creature.'

Will's shoulders slumped, relief brightening his eyes.

'Good. I...that's good.' then he gave her a thoughtful look, 'you talk so well now.'

She smiled proudly.

'Hopper's been teaching me, and before...' she paused, clenching her fingers in her lap, forcing herself to continue, 'in the lab the Bad Men started trying to bribe me with things to try and get me to cooperate, to do what they wanted. After you left I fought them, refused to use my powers at all. They punished me for it, locked me in that room for days, stopped feeding me, but it only made me behave worse. So they switched to bribes, like books and even a tutor for a while.'

El looked at him then, a triumphant smirk curving her lips.

'So I learnt. And I pretended to cooperate. I had to make them all think I was doing what they wanted so they wouldn't suspect. I was planning my escape for years, pretending that using the sensory deprivation tanks to make contact with the monster weren't working so eventually they'd try a different route and send me there in person.'

'Send you where?' Will asked frowning, before his eyes widened in realisation and he stared at her, horrified.

'The Upside Down? You went in there willingly?'

El nodded, wrapping her arms around her legs, and resting her chin on her knees.

'It was the only place they couldn't find me. Where they couldn't get me. I made sure they believed I was dead and then all I had to do was wait and watch while that...place...fell apart. They shut the lab down, and when it was finally empty I came back. That's when Hopper found me.'

Will just blinked at her, stunned.

'How...how long were you in there for?'

'Four months. I closed the gate behind me when they sent me through'.

'Four months!' Will whispered, face white as he stared at her, remembering the bone-chilling terror he'd been unable to leave  
behind after coming home.

He still had nightmares about his one week there, of the cold, empty darkness and the monsters that lived within it, still slept with a light on, and couldn't stomach the colour grey or even snow, the sight making feel like he was going to be sick.

How had she survived four months in the place, alone, starving and cold and come out sane? Come out whole.

As if she read his thoughts, El's face softened and she reached out, squeezing his hand.

'I lived with monsters my entire life, Will. The Upside Down was better than that, trust me.'

He shuddered, and crawled forward in the tent, wrapping his arms around her skinny shoulders and hugging her to him.

El didn't tense this time, leaning her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes.

'I'm so sorry, El. I wished I could have helped you.'

'You did, Will. More than you know. If it wasn't for you I'd still be in that lab. I wouldn't have fought the way I did, as hard as I did,  
if I hadn't met you and you hadn't showed me what life could be like. You saved me just as much as I saved you.'

Will's body shook, and El felt a spot of wetness spreading on her shoulder where his chin rested and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing comfortingly.

He pulled away after a while, wiping at the tears on his cheeks, his smile sheepish and a bit embarrassed.

'I told the boys, you know. They know everything, about the Upside Down, the Demogorgon...that's what we ended up calling the monster' he explained as she frowned at him, before continuing, 'about...about you.'

El paled and Will grabbed her hand, shaking it slightly, afraid she was going to faint.

'No, I mean...I had to explain to them where I'd been that week. They didn't buy the story Mom and Hopper made up about my Dad taking me away without asking, not with me being so scared all the time, barely sleeping and having panic attacks all of a sudden. I told them about the girl who helped me escape the Upside Down, that she had powers and fought the Demogorgon. But they don't know that that girl was you'.

'You can't tell them, Will. No-one can know who I am. They all think I'm dead and I want to keep it that way. If they ever found out that I'm alive....' she shuddered at the thought of what they would do to get her back, of being forced into that prison again.

'Remember the man I told you about? My...Dr. Brenner?'

Will nodded.

'He still thinks I'm alive. He's locked up right now, they thought he'd gone crazy. He was obsessed with getting me back. And if he ever got out...he can't ever know I'm here. You have to keep it a secret', she told him, eyes pleading, practically begging him.

'I won't say a word. I promise, El.'

She breathed a sigh of relief.

'Thank you,' she said, before looking at him, surprised.

'So they...your friends believed you? When you told them?'

Will laughed at the question, shaking his head.

'Uh, not at first. Especially Lucas. He thought I was trying to mess with them. But when I coughed up a slug in front of them it was  
kind of hard not to believe me. How else would you explain that?'

'You were coughing up slugs?' she asked, voice worried, staring intently at his stomach as if she could see inside him like an x-ray.

Will shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

'Don't worry, it stopped after a few months.'

'Kids, pizza's here.' Joyce called out to them from the house, and they looked at each other before scrambling out the tent and into the house.

They spent the rest of the afternoon listening to the records Jonathan had left behind when he moved to NYU for college, and catching up on the last three years, such as El's life in Indianapolis with Hopper for the past year. Will talked excitedly about all the places he wanted to show her in Hawkins's, and was showing her some of his drawings when Hopper came to pick her up.

As they said goodbye, hugging each other tightly, Joyce and Hopper exchanged relieved smiles. Joyce hadn't seen Will so happy in such a long time, and Hopper was just happy that El finally had a friend she could be herself with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...what do you think? -K


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Wow, I can't believe the amazing reviews I've been getting for this story. Thank you so much!!! Hope you like this chapter. Things start moving forward from here ;)
> 
> Also a warning: There is some period-typical homophobia and homophobic language in this chapter, which I felt so uncomfortable writing :/

Over the next few weeks, El quickly became a part of their group. She went to Will's almost every day after school, to do homework or just to hang out until Hopper finished work, and the boys often found themselves joining them. El had a lot of the same classes as them, the only one where she was alone being P.E, and sat with them at lunch, quiet and mostly just listening to their conversations. 

Will had pulled them aside the first time they'd all hang out after school and explained El's history, the history that Hopper had created for her, to stop people from prying and to explain why he suddenly came back to Hawkins's with a teenage girl.

'Her parents died in a car crash last year but...while they were alive, they kept her locked inside most the time. She was hardly ever let outside, and most their neighbours didn't even realise they had a daughter. So that's why she doesn't a lot of the things we do, and gets really nervous around people. I didn't want her to have to explain everything or for her to be reminded of what happened so I thought I'd tell you now rather than later when it's too late', Will explained, voice hushed, hoping they couldn't tell he was lying. 

The boys had been horrified and immediately promised not to bring it up around El, not wanting to upset her. 

Everyone in their class at school had been stunned by the new girls choice of friends. You could practically see the confusion on all their faces, unable to understand why a girl as pretty as El Hopper would want to hang out with that group of nerds. 

And El had made it very clear she wanted to sit with them.

On her third day at Hawkins's High one of the popular girls, Cathy Jones, had sashayed over to their table, and invited El to sit with her and her friends, flicking the boys a dirty look. 

'You don't have to sit with them', she said, almost spitting it, making a face as if the mere thought left a bad taste in her mouth. 

'Uh...rude much?' Dustin said, glaring at the side of her head. 

Cathy ignored Dustin, flipping her light blonde hair over her shoulder before completely turning her back on the boys and raising an eyebrow at El, waiting for an answer. 

El frowned at the girl, and then looked at the boys, who all looked embarrassed and hurt, clearly upset by what the girl had said. They were all shifting uncomfortably in their seats, and looking down at the table, cheeks bright and eyes downcast. 

She narrowed her eyes at the girl, and decided in that moment she really didn't like her. 

Not. At. All. 

El looked her up and down for a moment, face blank, before turning away dismissively, sniffing. 

'No. Thank you. I'm happy here with my friends' she said, stressing the word, not looking up from her food. 

Cathy stared at her, mouth hanging open, before she snapped it shut, angry colour filling her cheeks as she stomped back to her table. 

Mike, Lucas and Dustin gawked at her, not quite believing what just happened, until El looked up, catching them, a forkful of food halfway to her mouth. 

She frowned, eyebrows drawing together delicately. 

'What?' 

They quickly looked back to their food, exchanging stupid grins when El was distracted, unable to believe she'd stuck up for them and chosen to stay. No-one had ever done that before. 

Will smiled behind his hand at their surprise, the only one who'd expected it. El had already proven to him, time and time again, that she was fiercely loyal to those she felt deserved it. 

And that was it. After that moment, El was officially one of them. 

At lunch, a month after El had begun at Hawkins's, Will was trying to squeeze information about the D & D new campaign Mike was working on out of him. 

'Come on, Mike, it's been like two months since the last campaign. Just give us something...' he begged, pouting at him. 

Mike shook his head smugly, snickering slightly at his expression. 

'Nope. Not telling you anything. You'll just have to wait till it's finished.'

'Ugh!' Dustin groaned, throwing his hands in the air, while Lucas rolled his eyes. 

'You enjoy lording it over us, don't you, Wheeler?' 

Mike just smirked, shrugging his shoulders casually. 

El looked at them all, lips pursed slightly before asking the question on the tip of her tongue. 

'What's a campaign?' 

The boys all turned to look at her as she looked at them, eyes curious. 

'Oh...um...it's like a quest...for Dungeons and Dragons. It's a game', Mike explained, blushing when she just blinked at him. 

El nodded, biting her lip thoughtfully.

She remembered Will had told her about the game he and his friends played while in the Upside Down but he hadn't been able to put it in words she understood. 

And from the sad smile Will sent her, she knew he was remembering the conversation as well. 

'How do you play?' she asked, after a moment. 

Dustin leaned forward, eager to explain, and began a long-winded explanation of the game, including the campaigns they'd played before, the characters they had chosen for themselves, and how you rolled the dice to determined the outcome of a particular event or decision. 

Mike chimed in proudly, grinning at the fascinated and almost dazzled expression on El's face. 

'I'm Dungeon Master, so I'm in charge of the rules and write all the campaigns, which are like stories for Dustin, Lucas and Will's characters to follow. They have to make certain decisions which decide how they interact with other characters in the story, like whether you help them or leave them behind, and whether their characters win or lose against villains and monsters and stuff like that.' 

El's eyes widened at the word "monsters" and she shivered slightly, rubbing her arm absently. She felt warm fingers brush the back of her hand, and quickly turned hers over, clutching Will's hand under the table and squeezing hard. 

Will squeezed back, purposefully not looking at her, not wanting the boys to see them and get the wrong idea. 

But also to hide the fear that had rushed into him as well when Mike said the word. 

Lucas flicked Mike a confused look, jerking his head at El's suddenly pale face. Mike shrugged at him, concern rising in him at   
how quickly she'd frozen and seemingly freaked out. 

He quickly turned back to the topic. 

'You should play with us sometime, El.' 

She swung her eyes to his, expression hopeful. 

'Really?' she asked, as she looked at them, her voice trembling slightly at the thought of being included. 

They all nodded at her. 

'Yeah, you definitely should. You're going to love it, El. But we'll have to make you a character first. Will, do you still have those drawings you did of the different characters?' Dustin said excitedly, turning to Will who nodded quickly.

'I can show you after school, El, but there are a few to choose from. You could be a dwarf, or a bard like Dustin, a sorcerer, an elf...'

'An elf? Like Christmas?' she asked, her face lighting up as she remembered Hopper taking her to a Christmas display last year and how she'd been fascinated by the tiny figurines in red and green who were Santa's helpers. 

Lucas chuckled, shaking his head. 

'Uh...not quite. These elves are taller and way cooler, they have special powers to use on the quests.' 

El smiled widely and nodded eagerly. 

'Elf. I'll be an Elf.' 

'Okay, awesome. I'll add you to the campaign and we can play in a few weeks', Mike said, smiling at how excited she was, practically bouncing in her seat, cheeks flushed. 

Will head suddenly snapped up as he remembered something and he turned to the boys, slapping a hand to the table. 

They all jumped slightly at the loud bang, turning towards him, slightly baffled. 

'Oh my god, you guys are never going to guess what El hasn't seen?' 

'What?' 

'Star Wars', Will said, the disbelief he'd felt when El has first told him filling his voice. 

They all whirled on El, and she leant back slightly at the slightly wild looks on their faces. 

'How have you not seen Star Wars? Have you been living under a rock or something?' Lucas asked, tone incredulous. 

El's face fell and she looked away, not meeting their eyes. 

'Pretty much', she said quietly. 

Mike looked at El, worriedly, stomach clenching slightly as the happy expression fell off her face, leaving her sad and deflated. 

Will leant forward, kicking Lucas hard under the table, who jolted, turning to glare at him, mouthing 'What?' 

'Dumbass!' Dustin muttered under his breath, shaking his head at Lucas. 

Will looked pointedly at El, who was staring down at her tray, moving her food around listlessly. 

'Shit', Lucas groaned, stomach churning with guilt, and he turned to the others, silently begging for help. 

Dustin sighed, irritated, before pasting a smile on his face. 

'Well, that does it, we definitely have to marathon them. As your friends we can't let you walk around not seeing the best movies ever made'. 

El's face brightened a bit at Dustin's words, her lip twitching up into a half-smile, before she turned her attention back to her food, and began to eat again. 

They let out a sigh of relief, Lucas shooting Dustin a grateful look before they finished their own lunches. 

The bell rang soon after, and they all hurried to their feet, putting their trays away. Mike had history with Lucas and Will, and then   
Maths with Dustin, while El had English with Dustin and P.E. by herself afterwards so they all agreed to meet out the front after school to go and design a character for El, except Lucas who had football practice, before saying hurried goodbyes. 

The classes dragged for all them, especially Mike who was eager to run home after school, already thinking of ways he could incorporate El into the half-finished campaign he'd been working on. The bell for end of school finally rang, and Mike rushed to his locker, shoving his books in before walking out the front door. 

Mike froze just outside the doors, dread filling him, making his hands clench into fists, as he saw a small crowd of students near the sidewalk, all eyes on three familiar figures, two standing close to one another, the other towering over them threateningly. 

Will, cheeks flushed and a little shaky, glancing around in embarrassment. El, expression annoyed, as she looked up at the other person in question, shaking her head as if she couldn't believe anyone could be that stupid. 

And Troy, his broken nose taped, eyes swollen and bruised, glaring down at them. 

Mike put more speed into his legs, stomping towards them to try and stop Troy, not caring that he was probably going to get his ass handed to him in the process. 

No-one picked on his friends. 

As he got closer, he was finally able to make out what was being said. 

'Just leave us alone', Will said quietly, looking down at the ground, his voice small and resigned. 

'Why? You going to make me, fag?' Troy sneered, spitting at Will's feet. 

El stepped in front of Will, her expression stormy, her hand slipping into his. 

'Forget what happened last time you picked on someone, Troy', she said, just loud enough for them to hear. 

Troy paled, face twitching nervously, and pointed a finger at her. 

'Stay away from me, freak.' 

El just raised an eyebrow at him, expression innocent, but the slight smirk curving her lips gave her away. 

Troy suddenly smirked, something shifting behind his eyes as he saw their linked hands, and he glanced between El and Will so   
gleefully Mike almost expected him to rub his hands together like a villain in an old cartoon. 

'Aw, look at you, standing up for your little friend there. What are you two dating now? Mute and Fairy, the perfect couple'. 

Mike finally reached them, pushing past the crowd of students and stood between Troy and his friends, glaring at him. 

'Piss off, Troy.' 

Troy narrowed his eyes at him, before snorting. 

'Oh, look who it is. Frogface. What's it to you, Wheeler? Why, are you jealous of the new couple?' he said, laughing loudly when   
Mike's face filled with colour and he flicked a nervous look towards El. 

'The only question is which one are you jealous of? Mute or Fairy? You like the freak? Or are you a fag like fairy here?' 

'Forget it, Mike', Will muttered, looking nervously between them and El, who was watching, her dark eyes darting between Mike and Troy nervously, wringing her hands. 

Mike stepped closer, almost toe to toe with Troy, anger a thrumming pulse in his head, as he saw the hurt look on Will's face and the scared one on El's. 

'I said back off, Troy.' 

'I think your forgetting that you don't tell me what to do. You need to remember your place, Wheeler,' Troy said, surging forward and pushing Mike back a few steps. 

Mike stumbled, before righting himself. He glared at Troy, and ran forward to push him back, almost knocking him over. 

Troy's face darkened with fury, and his arm reared back, punching Mike hard in the face. 

Mike grunted, pain vibrating up and spreading along his jaw, and he stumbled back, losing his balance and tumbling off the gutter. He landed hard on his back in the middle of the road, the air rushing from his lungs at the impact, leaving him gasping, trying to draw in breath. 

A terrified scream rose from the small crowd seconds before the screech of a braking vehicle sounded to his right.   
Mike's head swung around, and he stared, numbly, at the bus coming towards him. The horror on the driver's face as he jerked the wheel, trying to avoid him, told Mike everything. The driver wouldn't be able to stop in time, he was going to hit him. 

And Mike was going to die. 

Ice-cold terror ran through his veins, and he felt like all the blood had drained from his body, his muscles locking together, unable to move. Unable to try and save himself. 

Eyes wide with terror swung and met El's where she stood on the sidewalk, face white, her eyes dark and focused on the bus as her hands reached out towards him, brows drawn together in concentration. 

The world seemed to slow to a halt as the bus suddenly froze in place. Mike stared up at it, stunned, as the bus seemed to float in mid-air, unable to come any closer to him. It sat there, shuddering in place for the longest moment of his life, before the front of the bus seemed to crumple inward, buckling and splitting with a deafening metallic screech.

Mike put his hands over his ears, crying out as an unbelievable pressure built in his ears at the sound. It tilted forward, hovering for a second, the tyres popping from the pressure, before landing with a thunderous crash inches from his head, the windscreen a spider web of shattered glass. Black smoke began to billow from the engine, surrounding him, and Mike coughed, shielding his face with his arm.

The stunned silence that had fallen over the students watching suddenly shattered, replaced by hysterical screaming, crying and the rush of dozens of feet coming towards him. 

'Oh my god!' 

'Mike!' 

'Holy Shit!'

'Is he okay?' 

But Mike didn't hear any of them, the pounding of his heart in his ears drowning out all other sounds. Chest heaving with his shuddering breaths, his eyes locked with El's, unable to comprehend what he was seeing, what he had just seen. 

El stood, hands still held out towards him, swaying dizzily on her feet. Her face was grey and twisted with pain, the veins surrounding her bloodshot eyes pressing through her skin, and blood dripped heavily from her nose and ears, running down her neck to stain the collar of her shirt. 

She pressed a shaking hand to her head, blinking slowly, looking confused as she stumbled on the sidewalk, struggling to remain on her feet. 

Mike pushed his hands against the ground, trying to get to his feet, to get to her, but shock had left his arms and legs weak and limp, and he slipped back to the ground, groaning as he landed heavily on his shoulder, scraping his elbows.

What the hell just happened? Had she....had she saved him? Had she stopped the bus? 

She had, he realised, stunned. He'd seen it. She'd pushed the bus away from him, stopped it, with her hands. But how? How had she done it? 

Other students began to crowd around him, all talking over the top of each other, eyes wide and faces pale. One stepped in front of El, blocking her from view, and when the bodies shifted again she was gone, the spot where she'd been standing empty. As if she'd disappeared in a puff of smoke. 

Mike craned his head, looking around for her frantically. A heavy weight settling on his arm made him jerk, and stare down at the hand tugging on his sleeve, mind fuzzy, unable to focus on what he was seeing. 

'Mike, are you okay?' 

Mike turned dazed eyes onto Will, who was crouching beside him, face wet with tears, and shook his head, blinking at the spot where El had just stood, burying his face in his shaking hands. 

'I don't know...' he whispered. 

He suddenly felt like he didn't really know or understand anything anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....cliffhanger lol Will be updating soon though so don't worry. As always let me know what you thought :) -K x


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this chapter is super super short!!! I'm really sorry about that, but it didn't really work as a starter for the next chapter so here it is. I'm going out tonight (whoo social life lol) but I will hopefully be home in time to upload the other one to make up for it :D

El's forced gritty eyes open, groaning softly, her face pressed to the soft ground, grass tickling her cheeks, nothing but silence surrounding her. No other voices, no cars, no bird cries, nothing. 

She pushed herself up, her arms trembling uncontrollably as she glanced around, her heart pounding as she tried to remember where she was and how she'd gotten there. 

Memories of the afternoon rushed back to her, and she pressed a hand to her head, crying out at the agony slicing through her head as she moved.

Distorted images flashed through her mind. The screech of brakes, the tinkling of shattered glass, the screams of terrified students and the pale, shocked face of the lanky boy with dark hair and freckles.

Mike. 

The bus had almost hit him. He'd almost been killed. 

The memory of the terror she'd felt in those seconds, seconds that had felt like forever, left her dizzy. It had locked her limbs, bile rising in her throat as she'd seen the shocked acceptance on his face, and she'd been unable to hold back to the power that rose within her, her mind already reaching out to crush the front of the bus as easily as the coke cans they first had her practice with in the Lab. 

El had stumbled to the tree-line that surrounded the school in the following chaos, blood dripping from her nose and ears, far from curious, prying eyes, where she'd collapsed, letting the darkness sweep her away. 

What if he saw me, she thought, panic rising in her, leaving her breathless. What if he'd seen what she could do? 

She'd known, even as she was reaching for the bus with her powers, that she shouldn't have done it, that she had been risking too much, but she'd been unable to stop herself, two words screaming at her, drowning out the small voice that had warned her she was making a mistake. Two words she wasn't sure she completely understood. 

Not. Him. 

El inched weakly to a nearby tree, her muscles quivering and screaming with every movement. She rubbed at eyes that felt gritty and sore, her face itchy from the blood that had dried there, her throat feeling like it was on fire. 

She moved her legs, bracing her feet against the roots of the tree to push herself up before collapsing against the trunk, exhausted, her entire body throbbing like a new bruise. 

She shivered in the cool breeze that flowed through the tree-line, goose bumps rising on her exposed arms and legs, as she looked around the wooded area, at the shadowy, muted darkness. The sun was setting in the distance and she had no idea what time it was, but it must be getting late. 

Hopper would be beyond freaking out now. He'd probably call out a search party soon. She needed to get home. 

She wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her arms to try and keep warm, and sighed.   
How was she going to get home when she couldn't even stand?

A stick snapped behind her and El's head swung around wildly, throat clenching in panic. 

What if it was him? What if it was Brenner? She wouldn't be able to fight him like this, her powers completely drained, weak and defenceless. 

El dug her fingers into the bark of the tree, struggling feebly, muscles burning as she tried to stand, before the strength in them gave way and she fell back to the ground, scraping the exposed skin on the back of her thighs, blood now dripping down her legs. 

She hissed at the sting, squeezing her eyes shut, and curled into a ball, a sob slipping from her lips. 

Please, please don't let him find me.

'El...El, kiddo, it's me. Are you out here?' a familiar voice called out and El's head snapped up, looking around, the fear quickly draining from her so quickly she was left light-headed. 

Hopper. He'd found her. 

'Over here', she croaked, her voice a mere whisper. 

She heard the crunch of leaves and sticks and the sound of fast, heavy footsteps coming closer and closer before Hopper came around the tree, eyes frantic but face stoic as crouched in front of her, his hat tipped back on his head. 

Hopper lifted one of the hands resting on his knees and cupped her face, lifting her chin up. He swore at he saw the condition she was in, barely able to hold her head up, face grey and the blood vessels in her eyes burst.

He turned, reaching into the pack he'd brought, pulling out the thermos of juice he'd brought with, knowing she'd be weak and need the sugar. 

El took it, her hand shaking so uncontrollably he had to steady the bottle, his heart almost breaking at the sight. 

She lifted the juice to her mouth, and started to gag before it hit her tongue, the smell making her stomach squeeze and wring itself painfully, bile rising in her throat. 

She shook her head frantically, pushing the thermos away, pressing her hand to her mouth, swallowing against the disgusting taste in her mouth. 

'Oh, kid,' Hopper sighed, wrapping an arm under her legs and head to lift her into his arms. 

El glanced up into his face, at how his eyebrows were drawn together, a frown drawing down the corners of his mouth, and looked away, resting her head against shoulder. 

'Are you mad at me?' she asked, nerves roiling in her stomach. 

Hopper's head snapped to hers, eyebrows raised, eyes incredulous, stride faltering for a second, almost tripping.

'Why the hell would you think that?' 

El shrugged, eyes skittering away from his.

'Because I used my powers. You asked me not to, but I did anyway. But...' she said, quickly, voice weak but sure, 'I...I had to help him. I couldn't let him die.' 

Hopper's arms tightened around her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. 

'I'm not mad, El. I'm as far from it as you could get. I'm so damn proud of you. If it wasn't for you the Wheeler kid would've died today. You saved his life. How could I be angry about that?' 

As soon as Hopper had heard what had happened at the school, that Mike Wheeler had been pushed in front of bus and almost been killed, but by some miracle the bus had malfunctioned, the entire engine having collapsed, he'd known. He'd known it had to be El, and that she would've been left completely drained and vulnerable. 

And pure fear had run through him, afraid that someone had seen her, that they'd report it. Or that she'd be sent to a hospital and be gone, taken by those people, before he could get to her. 

But his girl was smarter than that and had found a place to hide until he got there, he thought proudly, as he reached his car where he'd parked it out the front of the school, opening the door awkwardly with his hanging hand and carefully tucked her inside, pulling the seatbelt over her as she slumped back against the seat. 

He quickly closed the door, rushing over to the driver's seat and climbing in, pulling out of the parking lot. 

Hopper glanced at her through the rear-view mirror, watching as her head bobbed with the movement of the car, her eyes slits as she tried desperately to stay awake. 

'Did anyone see you? Did Wheeler see you?' he asked her, fingers tightening on the wheel as her eyes snapped to his, the fear in them making him want to hit something. 

El twisted her fingers in her lap, and turned wide, exhausted eyes to look out the window, avoiding his gaze, as she remembered the glazed, shocked stare her and Mike had shared after she'd saved his life. 

'I don't know.'

And it was true. She didn't know for sure if he'd seen her. And El really didn't like not knowing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...what did you think? Love hearing from you guys. Truly makes me day...or morning, when I usually get the reviews lol- K x


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! As promised, the second chapter of the night. This is my absolute favourite chapter from this story. It was the first one I wrote, and it was so much fun and I just smiled like an idiot the whole time. You'll just have to read, though, to find out why. ;) Hope you enjoy

Mike's tapped his fingers against the steering wheel to the too-loud music blaring from the radio, trying to drown out his own thoughts and ignoring the headache that was throbbing behind his eyes, as he took the turn that would lead him out of town to his destination.

To the Hopper place where he planned to confront the girl he knew was avoiding him.

Mike hadn't seen El in almost three days. Three long, very frustrating days where he'd been stuck with nothing but his thoughts and questions that he had no answers to.

Like how the hell had a five foot two, sixteen year old girl stopped a bus going 60 miles an hour? The mere question sounded ridiculous even in his head, like a trick maths question on a quiz.

Mike had tried looking at it scientifically to find a logical explanation, going through it over and over in his head till he thought he'd go crazy and his head would explode. But there wasn't one, because it wasn't possible.

These sort of things didn't happen in real life, only in fairy-tales or comic books where the characters had superpowers and magic and were, of course, imaginary.

Except it had happened. He'd seen it with his own eyes.

Or had he?

Mike huffed out an annoyed groan, smacking his head against the leather of the seat.

It was official, he thought, I'm completely losing my mind.

The last few days he'd hadn't been alone for more than a few minutes other than to sleep, his Mom having been constantly fussing and practically smothering him with attention. She had been furious when the school had called to let her know what had happened and, to Mike's never-ending surprise, so had his father. They had both stormed into the school, pale and shaky but expressions dark, and demanded that Troy be punished.

Troy had, of course, cockily tried to deny pushing Mike, believing he could get away with it like he had everything else he'd ever done to Mike and his friends. But, to his outrage, many of the students who had witnessed the incident, as well as several teachers and the bus driver, had come to back up Mike's story, and the Principal had had no choice but to expel Troy.

Mike had then been rushed home where his Mom had forced him into bed, flat-out refusing to let him go to school the next day, insisting he needed time to recover from his traumatic experience. But he hadn't had enough room in his head to be preoccupied with almost dying, already overwhelmed with trying to work out what the hell he had just seen.

He had almost gone as far as to ring Will to ask if he'd seen anything but stopped himself as the phone was dialling, slamming the phone down before anyone could answer, knowing he'd just tell him he'd imagined it or hit his head on the road.

Mike had woken the next day eager for school, determined to confront El and get some answers but to his frustration she hadn't shown up that day.

Or the next.

The boys had told him El hadn't been there the day before either and he had felt his frustration and suspicion growing each day, only made worse by the constant staring of the other students in his year and loud whispers as he walked past. He only became more and more sure as the days dragged on that she was avoiding him, that she knew he saw her do....whatever the hell it was she did, and didn't want to admit to it.

Mike had quickly grown tired of waiting, feeling like he would explode if he didn't get any answers soon, and it was how he now found himself pulling up out front of Hopper's trailer, palms growing damp as he thought of the conversation he was about to have.

Mike climbed out of his car, and walked up the house, knocking hard on the front door, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited.

He heard the sounds of heavy footsteps and jumped back when the door swung open. Jim Hopper filled the doorway, still in his uniform, and he blinked at Mike, wide-eyed, obviously surprised to see him. Mike was sure the same expression was on his face, and cursed himself silently as he realised how stupid it was that he'd never took into consideration the fact that the Chief of Police might be home to thwart his plans.

Hopper's face quickly went blank and he gave a tight-lipped smile, scratching at his balding head.

'Well, Wheeler, I have to say this is a surprise. How are you feeling...after everything, I mean?'

Mike shrugged awkwardly, avoiding his direct gaze.

'Still a little shaken but okay, I guess....uh, sir', he added quickly.

Hopper nodded, expression serious.

'That's normal. The shock should go away in a few days. You were a very lucky man.'

They stood in awkward silence for a long moment, staring at each until Hopper coughed, the sound harsh and forced.

'Can I help you with something, Mike?'

Mike nodded, straightening his shoulders.

'I was just....El hasn't been in school the last couple of days and I was just wondering if she was okay.'

Hopper studied him for a moment, leaning against the doorframe, eyebrows raised.

Mike squirmed under his gaze, feeling strangely guilty, like the Chief could read his every thought, knew his every secret. Including the real reason he was there.

Hopper straightened after the longest minute of Mike's life, clearing his throat.

'El's been sick but she should be back at school on Monday', he told him, tone matter-of-fact.

Mike heard a bang from inside the trailer, and craned his head to try and see inside, but Hopper deftly blocked him, muttering irritably under his breath.

'That's probably her waking up from her nap so I better head back in. I'll let her know you came by to check on her. Have a nice night, Mike', he said quickly, slamming the door shut.

Mike blinked at the abruptness of Hopper's departure, before swearing under his breath, having to resist the urge to kick the door.

It's a bloody conspiracy, he thought, turning and stomping back to the car. Even Hopper bloody knows.  
Hopper knew El had done something to stop the bus, and he knew Mike knew, so he was making up lies about El being so sick so  
Mike couldn't see her. So he couldn't ask her any questions.

Mike reached his car, falling back against the door heavily, and rubbed at his eyes, groaning.

Damn it, now he really was beginning to sound like a lunatic. What the hell was wrong with him?

Mike turned and reached for the door handle, ready to admit defeat, when he saw a blurry figure out of the corner of his eye and whirled towards the movement.

He stared as he saw El climbing out of what was clearly her bedroom window, jumping out deftly and landing lightly on her feet.  
She didn't even look back, leaving the window open, and began to walk out towards the woods confidently, standing out in the greens and browns of the trees in her yellow t-shirt and blue shorts, a pair of black sneakers on her feet.

Mike frowned, concerned, when he noticed she was walking gingerly, carefully, as if she was sore and aching, a slight limp in her gait. Her face was paler that the last time he'd seen her, and she had dark circles under her eyes like she hadn't slept in days.

Maybe Hopper wasn't lying, he thought, watching as she began to disappear into the dense trees

Mike glanced towards the trailer nervously, worried Hopper could be watching through the blinds, before letting go of the door  
handle and rushing after her.

He followed closely behind her for almost half a mile, a little concerned about how stalkerish this would look if anyone saw him, and found himself puffing slightly, sweat soaking his hair and the back of shirt.

After almost half an hour Mike was beginning to think she was never going to stop walking, and was debating whether to turn back, when he finally broke out into a clearing and saw where they were.

The Quarry. Why the hell would she be going to the quarry? he wondered. It was nothing but water and rocks.

He looked around for El, who seemed to have disappeared, and stilled when he spotted her, his heart slamming hard against his ribs as panic rose inside him.

El was sitting on the very edge of the cliff that jutted out over the water, her legs dangling into the open air in a way that made Mike very nervous.

Though he didn't know why he was worrying. If she fell she could probably save herself in the same way she'd saved him. With her bloody magical powers.

'Are you following me?' El suddenly called out, without looking towards him, kicking her legs in the open air below, her voice curious.

Mike stiffened, muscles locking together, and swallowed nervously.

'Shit', he muttered, and stepped out of the tree line guiltily, heat rising to his cheeks at how creepy this looked.

She didn't say anything though he knew she'd heard him walk out and he shifted from foot to foot anxiously, before words burst from him, unable to handle the silence.

'Uh...how long did you know I was following you?'

She shrugged, flicking him an unreadable look over her shoulder.

'Pretty much the whole time. You're really quite loud, you know'.

Mike felt himself flush redder, kicking at the ground, annoyed with himself.

'Oh.'

'So why were you following me?' she asked him, spinning around to look at him, eyebrows creased together into confusion.

Her reaction looked so genuine he didn't know whether to believe her or not. Dammit, this was going to harder than he thought.

Mike's jaw tightened and he took a step forward, closer to her but staying far away from the edge.

'I want to know how you did it.'

Her frown only deepened, and she squinted at him, her nose wrinkling.

'How I did what?' she asked, bewildered.

'How you stopped the bus from hitting me. The other day after school when Troy pushed me', he said, crossing his arms over his  
chest, calm settling inside him, 'I know it was you. I saw you, you did something to the bus. There was no way the driver could have braked that quickly'.

El wiggled back off the edge of the cliff and jumped to her feet, schooling her face into the blank mask she'd used to hide her thoughts at the lab, sweat beginning to drip down her spine.

He knew, she thought, panic overriding her every other thought, her heart racing.

She'd been right, he _had_ seen her.

She wanted to run, to run away from him, from his questions, from the narrow, determined look on his face as he waited for an answer.

For the truth.

A truth she couldn't give him. Couldn't trust him with. Not if she wanted to stay in Hawkins.

El smacked her hands together, making a show of wiping the dirt from her fingers, using the movement to hid the shaking in her hands. She walked to stand in front of him, her legs feeling like jelly.

'How could I have done that?' she asked, her eyebrows lowered, and expression deliberately innocent.

Mike growled in frustration at the denial, throwing his hands in the air.

'I don't know', he said, shooting her an annoyed look as he began to pace in front of her, grabbing at his hair, 'But I _know_ you did. I saw you. I just can't work out how you did it'.

Mike almost groaned at how stupid he sounded, how crazy, his cheeks flushing, but his determination stayed steady inside him.

He wasn't crazy. She'd done something, he knew she had.

But she wasn't looking at him like he was crazy. She had a considering look on her face, her head tilted to the side, before she jerked her chin to the left.

'Come with me', she said, turning and walking away, following the edge of the cliff towards a small dirt path, hidden by small trees and plants growing around it, that moved downwards.

'That's not answering my questions!' he called after her, annoyed.

El just waved her hand at him, gesturing for him to follow her before continuing to walk down the hill, almost disappearing from view.

Mike stood there for a minute, gaping, before he shook his head.

'This is so weird,' he muttered under his breath as he hurried after her down the dirt trail, 'Wait up!'

It was steep climb down and Mike found himself sliding and skidding down the rocky path, almost falling over twice before he finally reached the bottom to find her standing at a small bank.

She smiled brightly at him, and kicked off her sneakers.

'Come swimming with me.'

Mike blinked at her.

Could she be anymore random? he thought.

'What? Why?'

'Why not?' she asked, biting back a smile at the slack bewilderment on his face, his mouth opening and shutting, no words coming out.

'Uh....' he began, his mind foggy with confusion, trying to understand how he'd lost control of the conversation so quickly, 'because I don't have any swimmers on?'

She shrugged at him as if to say 'so?' and dropped her hands to the bottom of her yellow t-shirt, pulling it quickly over her head.  
She then wiggled out of her blue shorts, leaving her in nothing but a pink lacy bra and blue cotton underwear.

'Whoa!' Mike gaped, swallowing, his throat suddenly dry.

He knew he should turn around, or at least try to, but he couldn't drag his eyes away, couldn't stop himself from looking her up and down, his eyes darkening.

She was tiny, and looked almost fragile, like a small wind would knock her over, but it was belied by the confidence with which she held herself. Her neck was delicate like a swans, her arms and legs long and graceful, her curves subtle, perfectly displayed by her lack of clothes, her skin lightly tanned with a dappling of freckles across her shoulders.

She was gorgeous, and he couldn't look away, mesmerised by her, his chest tightening, biting back a groan.

El shivered as Mike's eyes darkened with something she couldn't place as his eyes moved over her. Almost as if he were....hungry. It felt like he was trailing his fingers along her suddenly over-heated skin with just his eyes as they moved over her.

What was happening to her?

She let out a shuddering breath, licking her suddenly dry lips, freezing when his eyes flitted to her mouth, before lifting and  
locking with hers.

El turned away quickly, and dove smoothly into the water. She stayed under the water for a few strokes, relaxing as the water cooled her heated skin, before popping her head back out, turning and looking at him expectantly.

'Your turn.'

Mike's eyes widened and shook his head frantically.

'Seriously?' he choked out.

She just looked at him, eyebrows raised, as if daring him.

Mike flushed bright red, and quickly stripped out of his jacket, blue polo shirt and brown shorts, leaving him in nothing but his bright blue boxers. He shuffled awkwardly towards the waters edge, resisting the urge to cross his arms over his chest.

El inhaled sharply, holding her breath. She bit her lip, kicking her feet to keep herself afloat as her gaze roamed over him. His shoulders were broad with a smattering of freckles, like the ones on his face, covering them, and tapered down to a slim waist and a flat stomach where a trail of hair disappeared beneath the waistband of his underwear. His legs were long and lanky, and his skin so pale that he seemed to glow in the late afternoon sunshine.

Mike almost moaned at the intensity of her gaze, feeling the familiar burning he felt most mornings start to build in his stomach, and quickly dove into the water, knowing he wouldn't be able to live with the embarrassment if she saw how she'd affected him.

He stiffened at the frigid coldness of the water, goose bumps immediately rising on his skin, the burning mercifully fading from his stomach, and he kicked to the surface quickly, spluttering and shivering.

El swam up closer to him, looking like a mermaid with her slicked back hair and sleek skin, her light brown eyes concerned.

Mike cleared his throat awkwardly, shrugging off her concern.

'I'm okay. So...do you come here much? It's so cool. I didn't know you could even come down here', he babbled nervously, looking around at the huge cliffs surrounding them, his voice echoing in the silence.

Oh god, shut up, you idiot, he told himself, groaning internally.

El smiled at him brightly, laying back and floating lazily, staring up at the blue sky.

'Yes. I like it here, it's quiet. I found it a week after we moved here. No-one else seems to know about it so I've been using it to practice.'

He frowned at her, confused and she sighed, kicking her legs in the water, resigned.

'I'm practicing being brave', she explained, her eyes faraway, 'I'm terrified of water. I can't even take a bath because I just feel....trapped. Like everything's closing in around me. So I've been forcing myself to go swimming every day. It's getting a little easier every time I come down here.'

The colour drained from Mike's face as he looked at her, stunned and horrified.

What the hell had her parents done to her to make her so afraid?

'Well, it doesn't show. I wouldn't have known you were scared if you hadn't told me', he assured her, giving her a small, reassuring smile.

'I'm good at pretending. I had to be,' she said, her lip trembling slightly as she stared up at the sky, refusing to look at him, not wanting him to see.

Mike stared at her, at the tears glistening in her eyes and looked away quickly, pretending not to notice.

El blinked back the tears pooling in her eyes, letting out a huff, irritated with herself for reacting this way, and let herself drop below the water. She opened her eyes in the shadowy darkness, letting the water wash away the tears, before kicking back to the surface.

They were silent for a moment, both treading water.

Mike glanced at her, not wanting to ask, not wanting to bring the shadows back to her eyes, shadows that spoke of nightmares to terrifying to speak aloud, but couldn't stop himself from blurting out the question.

'What was it like? Where you lived before Hopper?'

'It wasn't nice....the people, my Papa, they were cruel to me. Locked me away, tried to get me to do things I didn't want to....I hated it there. I like living with Hopper, he's kind, lets me do the things I want, eat the things I want. Make my own choices. He's a good person', she told him, reaching up to brush her hair back from her face.

Mike's eyes shifted to a smudge of black on her forearm, distracting him from the conversation, and he blinked, stunned, to see an 011 on her arm.

A tattoo? She has a tattoo? He could've sworn she didn't have that at school the other day. Where had it come from?

El looked down to where he was staring, her heart skipping a beat as she saw the make-up she'd been using to cover it had washed away. She jerked her arm under the water, meeting his eyes nervously, her own wide.

He blinked, coming back to the conversation.

'If this is your secret spot, then why did you bring me here?'

'I don't know...I like you', she blurted out, so relieved that he didn't ask about her tattoo that she forgot to sensor her words.

El bit her lip as her words registered, eyes flitting around, feeling ablaze with embarrassment.

Mike's mouth fell open in surprise, gaping at her as she refused to meet his eyes.

'Me? You like me? Like...more than friend?' he asked, face creased with confusion.

No girl had ever liked him before. Not like that, and especially not since he started High School. They all pretty much ignored him, thinking he was just one of the loser AV guys.

El lip twitched up into a smile at the shock in his voice, her embarrassment fading as a giggle slipped out.

'You're surprised?'

'Well...' he shrugged, 'yeah.'

'Why? You've been so nice to me, and you helped me when Troy was being mean to me. Not a lot of people would do that.'

'It was nothing. He's just a mouth breather anyways', he said, shrugging nonchalantly.

'You almost died doing it. It wasn't nothing', she told him before frowning, confused, 'A mouth breather?'

Mike laughed, shaking his head.

'A mean person.'

'Oh', she said, her tone still confused as she thought it over.

'Well, anyways, thank you for bringing me here. It's really awesome', he told her, smiling.

'You're welcome.'

El swam closer, a considering look in her eyes. Mike stilled at her sudden closeness, his heart hammering in his chest, hands beginning to shake.

El's own heart fluttered as she leant in, her eyes on his, and brushed her lips against his, letting out a breathy sigh.

Holy shit, was Mike's last coherent thought as his wide eyes slid shut, and he slid one hand under the water to curve at her waist, cupping her face with the other, his thumb brushing against her cheekbone.  
His lips moved against hers softly, leisurely, a low groan slipping out at the taste of her.

Sweet like syrup. Just like he'd suggested she try.

El pulled away after a moment, eyes wide as she looked at him, panting slightly.

Wow, she thought, dizzily. So _that_ was kissing.

She'd seen people kiss in movies before (and Hopper sneakily kiss Joyce when he thought no-one was watching) but never thought it would feel like that.

Like she had a fever and was slightly delirious, like her heart was going to fly out of her chest it was beating so hard. Like Mike was the only person who existed in her world in that moment.

Mike looked at her, his eyes dazed, lips pursed into a surprise o.

'Uh...what was that for? Not that I'm complaining or anything'.

'I don't know. I just...wanted to kiss you. I've never kissed anyone before', El confessed, raising soft eyes to his.

Me either, he thought, heat rising up his chest and neck into his cheeks.

He shot her a quick, searching glance out of the corner of his eye.

God, I hope she can't read minds, he thought, anxiously.

El didn't see his glance, too focused on the fact she could still feel the lingering heat of his lips against hers, and she pressed her fingers to her mouth, caressing her bottom lip. It was like the heat was spreading through her entire body from that one spot.

It felt...nice.

'So....' he said, slowly, watching her reaction, insides quivering nervously, 'what did you think?'

Heat rushed to El's cheeks at his question, and she ducked her head, a shy-half smile curving her lips.

Mike stared at her, surprised by the colour filling her cheeks. He hadn't thought anything could rattle her enough to make her blush.

'I liked it', she mumbled, quickly turning and swimming towards the bank, her movements jerky, stomach jittery.

What if he didn't like it? Had she just made a fool of herself? What if he only liked her as a friend?

Mike felt his lips pull up into an uncontrollable grin, giddiness rising in him, the butterflies that been fluttering in his stomach fading away.

She liked kissing him!

El paused, shooting him a questioning look over her shoulder, before smiling at his thrilled expression.

They walked back up the narrow path and into the woods, both dripping wet, their shoes squelching loudly with every step causing them to look at each other and laugh.

She shivered as the air cooled, the sun setting behind them, wishing she'd brought a jacket with her.

Mike noticed and quickly tugged off his jacket, draping it over her shoulders.

'Here.'

El smiled gratefully, slipping her arms through the sleeves, before rolling it up, loving how it smelt like him. She shuddered as the warmth soaked into her, snuggling her head into the soft cotton.

'It's so warm,' she said, and he flushed, looking away, feeling pleased with himself.

'So....why weren't you at school the last couple of days? I asked the Chief if you were okay, and he said you were sick.'

She nodded, remembering the story Hopper had told her to tell anyone if they asked.

'I was. I had a stomach bug'.

'I saw you bleeding,' he blurted out and she stopped, eyes wide, staring at him, and he felt almost triumphant to get a reaction from her, 'That day, with the bus, just after it almost hit me. You were bleeding.'

The expressionless mask came back down over her face and she lifted one shoulder.

'I get nosebleeds sometimes.'

He groaned.

'I will figure it out you know.'

'Maybe you will,' she said, almost too softly for him to hear, but he just caught it.

They reached the tree-line outside Hopper's two bedroom trailer, and saw the lights were already on, the television blaring through the open windows.

'You better not come too close to the house. Hopper might see you and I don't want you getting in trouble', she told him.

Mike thought of the Chief and the gun he saw strapped to his hip most days and paled, nodding quickly.

'Good call'.

She frowned at the expression.

'Are you going to get into a lot of trouble?' he asked worriedly, as the thought suddenly occurred to him.

She shook her head.

'He's used to me wandering away. He's okay as long as I leave a note. Here,' she said, shrugging out of his jacket with a slightly disappointed sigh.

She turned and walked quietly out of the forest, barely making a noise, before she lifted the window frame and swung her leg over the edge. She looked up and waved at him brightly, before climbing in all the way and shutting the window quietly, disappearing from view.

Well that's not how I expected today to go, he thought, as he walked back to his car, still dripping slightly.

He hadn't got a single answer to his questions. Instead he'd just ended up with more than ever. Like what was with that number on her arm? What exactly had happened to her in her past? And she hadn't exactly said she hadn't stopped the bus. Only asked how she could've done it.

As he drove home, his damp clothes drying in the cooling breeze coming through the open windows, Mike found himself quietly surprised to realise that he wasn't as determined to get answers to his questions as he'd been only that afternoon.

No, that determination had altered, turning it's focus, instead, on getting to know everything he could about El herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, I hope you liked it. As always let me know :) - K x


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! OMG, you are all amazing. The reviews I've been getting have been so awesome, sweet and supportive it's blowing my mind. Thank you so much xx So...I didn't realise till I was editing how long this chapter actually is! It's massive. So here's a nice long chapter :D  
> P.S. There are references to Star Wars in this chapter so if I by some chance you haven't seen it SPOILERS

The weeks sped by and summer break was almost there, and all of them were beyond excited for three months of freedom.

They had had their first D & D campaign with El's new character, El the Enchantress, the weekend before. El's character was an Elf who had healing abilities and the campaign had lasted a record twelve hours before Karen (who adored El from the second she met her, and gushed constantly about how polite and sweet she was)had shut it down, sending all of them home, no matter how much they had groaned and pleaded.

Lucas had also had his final home game of the season which they had all attended, cheering loudly and cat-calling at him which made him really happy but he pretended to be embarrassed about, rolling his eyes at them from the field, hiding his smile under his helmet.

Mike has also finally admitted to himself that he had a crush on El. He had become more and more aware of her since the weeks after the bus incident, and their kiss in the quarry. He'd gone from watching her to see if she didn't anything else strange that would explain how she'd saved him, to always wanting to sit with her, talk to or be near her.

He didn't understand how it had happened so fast, but all he knew was that he was falling. Hard.

So it was no surprise to anyone, including him, when he found himself seated next to El in his basement on a rainy Saturday afternoon, while they all sat around the television, introducing her to the amazing world that was Star Wars.

They all watched her reactions more than the actual films, laughing when her mouth fell open, stunned, when she found out Darth Vader was Luke's father.

El loved the films, watching, fascinated, as the main character Luke discovered and trained to use his powers, powers so much like hers, and was horrified by the evil things the Dark Side did.

She would never go dark, she promised herself, as the end credits rolled down at the end of The Empire Strikes Back and Mike got up to change the movie, laughing as Dustin teased Lucas about having a date to the Spring Fling at the end of the semester.

'What's a....spring fling?' she asked curiously.

Joyce had promised to take her shopping for a dress for it the next day because she was going to get Will's suit, but no-one had  
really explained to her what it was.

Three pairs of surprised, and one pair of sheepish, eyes met hers and she cringed, wiggling down in her seat, flushing self-consciously, feeling ashamed for not knowing the answer.

'Sorry, El, I should have explained it when Mom brought it up', Will said, tone apologetic, 'It's...well, it's an dance where people get dressed up, have some food, listen to music and....dance'.

El's brows crinkled together, stomach churning anxiously, as she thought about it, tracing a pattern on the couch with her finger.

'I don't think I can go. I don't know how to dance', she said, glancing up at them, eyes soft and sad, as the thought of missing out.  
It sounded like a lot of fun.

Her face brightened slightly a few seconds later, an idea forming in her head, .

'Could you teach me?' she asked, expression hopeful.

Will, Dustin and Mike all looked at each other, eyes wide, shaking their heads frantically, hands up defensively.

'Uh-uh, no way.'

'Shot not!'

'Well, I can't do it!'

El glanced at them all, expression bewildered, and Lucas rolled his eyes, pushing himself to his feet with a heavy sigh.

'I'll teach you, El. You don't want those morons teaching you anyways. They're all complete dunces at dancing', he said, laughing at his friend's offended reactions.

Dustin glared at him, pouting slightly, Mike blushed, embarrassed, throwing an empty coke can at Lucas which he easily ducked. Will just shrugged, knowing he sucked at dancing, and not really caring.

Lucas turned back towards El, who was frowning down confused, and quickly explained, 'It means they're really bad at it.'

'Whatever!' Mike said, crossing his arms over his chest, refusing to look at El, not wanting to know her reaction.

Way to make me look like a total loser, Lucas, he thought, groaning inwardly.

'I'll have you know I'm an excellent dancer,' Dustin mumbled under his breath.

'According to who, elephants? Lucas chortled, holding out a hand, which El took hesitantly, pulling her to her feet beside him as the boys watched.

'Screw you, Lucas,' Dustin said, sending him a rude hand gesture.

Lucas sent one back absently, focusing on El and began to explain the different type of dances to her. He paused, turning back to the boys who were watching them, huge grins on their faces, and narrowed his eyes at them, pointing a finger at the door at the top of the stairs.

'All of you out,' he ordered sternly.

'What? We're not doing anything,' Will said, putting on an innocent expression, lip twitching slightly in amusement.

'I can't do this why you jerks are gawking. Go upstairs for ten minutes or something.'

'Aw, come on, man!' Dustin said, disappointed.

Will rolled his eyes and grabbed Dustin's arm, yanking him up and towards the stairs.

'Come on, let's go and get some more snacks', Will told him, patting his back, as Mike followed behind at a slower pace.

Mike shot El a probing look when Lucas turned away to put on a record, silently asking if she was okay, having noticed over the weeks how nervous she could be, flinching when any of them moved too fast or touched her accidentally. A reflex he figured was left over from her time with the people she'd lived with before.

El gave him a reassuring smile and nodded, letting him know she was alright.

Lucas watched the silent exchange out of the corner of his eyes, head tilted thoughtfully, but schooled his face into a blank mask as El turned back to face him, smiling and expectant.

He cleared his throat, music filling the room as the record started to play.

'Okay, let's start with the easy stuff first. With fast music you pretty much just bounce around, nothing too fancy. You move your arms a little and your head like this....' he said, demonstrating, head bobbing, swinging his arms, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

El frowned, eyebrows drawn together in concentration, and tried to copy, annoyed her movements were robotic and stiffer than  
Lucas's but he nodded at her encouragingly, smiling.

'That's good. Just relax a bit, don't think too much about it.'

El nodded, biting her lip, and made herself relax, swinging her hips slightly to the music.

Lucas grinned at her, patting her on the shoulder.

'You've got it. Now, there's slow dancing', he said, walking over and quickly changing the record to something with a slower beat, knowing the others were probably pressing their ears to the door and would be coming down again any minute.

He turned back, shifting awkwardly as she watched, waiting patiently, before lifting his chin and walking to stand in front of her.

'Okay, slow dancing you do with a partner, usually someone you like....more than a friend, I mean. You stand really close like this', he said, stepping forward, a small gap of space between them, 'and the girl puts her hands on the boys shoulders and the guy puts his hands on her waist and they sorta...sway, I guess.'

Lucas lifted her hands onto his shoulders and hesitantly placed his hands lightly on her waist, and they began to sway from side to side. Lucas couldn't look her in the eyes, feeling too awkward and fumbling, and stared resolutely over her shoulder.

El felt a bit weird dancing with Lucas, who she didn't know as well as the others, but concentrated on not stepping on his feet, grateful that he was teaching her at all.

Would it feel like this if she danced with Mike? Would Mike even want to dance with her?

She was so focused on her thoughts she didn't notice the considering look Lucas was sending her, lips pursed slightly, remembering the silent exchange between her and Mike earlier, and the way they behaved around each other at school, the long looks, and blushes whenever they accidentally touched.

'So you and Mike huh?' he asked, making his tone as casual as possible.

El's eyes lifted from where she'd been watching her feet, blinking at him, stumbling slightly. He steaded her by tightening his hands on her waist, raising an eyebrow as she flushed, biting her lip.

'What about us?'

'You like him, don't you?'

El felt blood rush to her cheeks, and looked down at the floor, kicking it slightly, before nodding.

'Yes.'

Lucas nodded, inwardly pleased.

He'd been noticing the way Mike was always watching El, making sure she was okay, explaining things to her, and had seen El grab his hand when she'd been scared during the movie as easily as if they'd done it a thousands times. Though, from the way  
Mike had jumped and how red he'd gone, Lucas was pretty sure it was the first time.

'Good. Because I know he likes you.'

El beamed at him, opening her mouth to ask if he was sure when the door burst open and they jumped apart, shifting awkwardly as their friends stomped down the stairs.

'Everything good?' Mike asked, frowning slightly at the guilty expressions of their faces, Lucas fiddling with the record player, and El looking at him and blushing, before looking down.

Lucas nodded at them, quickly turning the music off.

'Yep, just finished.'

'Awesome. Return of the Jedi here we come', Dustin said, excitedly, popping the cassette into the video player, before bolting for the couch where El and Will had already perched, Mike and Lucas on the floor before pressing play on the remote.

Dustin talked throughout the film, giving his own commentary, excitedly explaining everything to El as the others groaned, throwing popcorn at him.

'Shut up, Dustin!'

But El liked it, and the way it made understanding the film a lot easier. Dustin wriggled in closer to her, his mouth to her ear, so he could talk to her without annoying the others.

Halfway through the movie El's eyes began to droop. She blinked, trying to focus so she could see the end, but her eyes drifted shut without her permission, having been up most the night with nightmares. Again.

She dropped her head on Will's shoulder, drifting off slowly to the sound of Leia meeting what Dustin was whispering, excitement making his voice shake, were Ewoks.

Mike glanced over after a while to see her reaction to Luke and Han almost being cooked by the Ewoks, and froze when he saw her fast asleep, her head on Will's shoulders.

He felt a pang of something he didn't recognise inside him, stomach clenching in a way that made him feel nauseous, his ears buzzing until he couldn't hear anything going on around him.

Fear. It was fear, he realised, as he stared at El curled up, asleep, next to his best friend.

It was ridiculous. Mike knew it was completely innocent, and Will and El didn't see each other that way, but he was still scared. Scared of losing her, worried that she might change her mind, decide she doesn't like him anymore before he got up the nerve to ask her out.

He clenched his hands beside him on the floor to hide the way they were shaking slightly, horrified by the vision of El holding hands with some faceless guy that wasn't him.

Will turned his head, frowning when he saw Mike looking at him, hands clenched beside him. His face cleared after a few moments, understanding dawning, and he shook his head at him, trying to tell him he understood, that he looked at El like a sister.

Mike nodded, shrugging at Will sheepishly, pulling at a loose thread on his shorts, feeling like a complete jerk.

Get a hold of yourself, Wheeler, he thought, irritated with himself.

Dustin glanced over at El and groaned loudly, making them all jump.

'Aw, she's missing the best part.'

'Leave her alone, Dustin', Mike hissed at him, face softening as he watched El's face scrunch up slightly in her sleep at the noise, before turning back to the movie.

Hopper arrived just after 8, not long after the movie finished to pick El up, not yet comfortable letting her sleepover with a bunch of boys, to their disappointment, and gently shook her awake.

El jerked awake, blinking at Hopper, her face annoyed. He just chuckled at her, and helped her to her feet.

'Time to say goodbye, kiddo. You can go back to sleep in the car'.

'Bye guys', she grumbled, waving slightly, looking grumpy, mussed and adorable, as they walked out of the basement door.

They called goodbye and began to clean up the mess they made before Karen came down and saw it, planning to play a few board games before bed, when Mike looked up, getting up the courage to ask the boys the question that had been on his mind for weeks. It was the first time he'd been alone with all of them since the bus incident to ask.

'Hey guys,' he said, swallowing nervously, as their eyes all swung to his, 'have you seen El doing anything weird?'

Dustin and Lucas raised their eyebrows at him, confused. Will felt himself stiffen, heart speeding up slightly, suddenly anxious.

Shit, he thought, at the determined look on Mike's face as he shifted to face them, putting the garbage bag in his hands down, leaning forward eagerly.

'Like what?' Will asked, coughing slightly to hide the way his voice was trembling.

'Things you can't explain'.

When they just stared at him, Mike let out a frustrated huff, slumping slightly, knowing he'd need to spell it out for them.

'The day Troy pushed me in front of the bus I saw El...I saw her do something to the bus to stop it. And she was really sick afterwards. Her nose was bleeding and she was really weak, could barely stand,...' he said, trailing off, eyebrows creasing as he realised how truly insane he sounded.

And from the looks Dustin and Lucas were exchanging he could tell they thought so too.

'Uh, Mike....how could El have stopped the bus? I mean, she's like a twig,' Dustin said, laughing shakily, trying to ease the tension in the room, worried about the slightly hysterical look in his friend's eye.

Mike paused, hesitating, before quickly spitting out the words, the only plausible answer he'd been able to come up with over the weeks he'd spent trying to understand what he'd seen.

'With her mind...?' he said, flinching, groaning inwardly as how ridiculous it sounded out loud.

A dubious silence filled the room, all of them staring at him, eyes wide.

Anger rose in Mike, his face darkening with colour and he glared at them, pushing himself off the floor and stomping towards the stairs.

'Fine, don't believe me,' he said, throwing his arms in the air.

'Mike, come on, even you have to admit it sounds a bit far-fetched,' Lucas said, coming to his feet, reaching out towards him, expression perplexed.

He swung back towards them and crossed his arms over his chest.

'I know what I saw.'

Will watched the exchange anxiously, chewing the inside of his cheek, fidgeting slightly on the floor.

Lucas glanced towards Will at the movement, eyes narrowing suspiciously at the uncomfortable look on his face.

'What's wrong with you?'

'Nothing', he said, too quickly, trying to make his face look blank.

He cursed silently as their heads all swung to him, eyes sharpening at the guilty expression on his face.

'Bullshit, Will. We all know you're a terrible liar', Mike told him.

'Yeah, spill it, Byers.' Dustin said, poking Will's arm hard from beside him.

Will bit his lip, feeling torn.

El had made him promise to not tell anyone who she really was, had practically begged and he owed her everything.

But on the other hand he knew that Mike, Dustin and Lucas would never say anything. He trusted them completely. And Mike already seemed to know. He couldn't lie to them, not after all they'd done to help him recover over the last couple of years.

'Okay, fine!' he yelled, slapping Dustin's hands away from him, irritably, rubbing his arm and the bruise beginning to pulse there.

They just waited, staring at him, twitching impatiently, and he sighed, resigned.

'Mike's right. El did stop the bus.'

The room went deathly quiet as they stared at him as he fidgeted.

'What? How?' Dustin asked, eyes widening, mouth falling open.

Will closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before speaking quickly.

'Remember when I told you about where I really was when I disappeared that week.'

They all shuddered at the question.

'Of course we do,' Lucas told him, expression serious.

Mike wished he could forget what Will had told him about the dark parallel universe he'd spent a week in and the real-life, flesh and blood monster that had hunted him.

The drawings Will had reluctantly shown them when they had cornered him to find out why he was so pale all the time, kept running to the bathroom, and having panic attacks that left him sick and terrified, were images he'd never been able to get out of his head.

Images of Will's bedroom in the Upside Down, the dark, cold and empty dimension Will had been pulled into, the walls overrun with thick, tentacle like limbs, and grey slime covering all the furniture. And last, but definitely not least, the Demogorgon, with it's sharp claws and eyeless face, mouth like a Venus fly trap, open in a scream.

And then there was the memory of Will almost choking on one of the slugs he'd been coughing up for weeks, spitting it out right in front of them.

They'd all believed him after they'd seen that. No person could have faked that sort of horror.

'But do you remember who I told you helped me get away?' Will said, slowly, wanting to pull the words back into his mouth even as he said them.

El was going to be so mad at him if she found out he'd broken his promise.

'Yeah, that girl who from the lab. The one with the shaved head and the telekinesis....' Lucas said, his voice trailing off as he swung bulging eyes to a nervous Will.

'Wait, what?' Mike asked, jumping to his feet, hands suddenly shaking, his mind suddenly filled with the final drawing Will had shown them of the girl with a shaved head and bleeding nose, wearing nothing but a thin, paper hospital gown.

A girl, he now realised, was identical to El.

'No freaking way! Are you saying El is that girl? The one who saved you?' Dustin asked, face pale and mouth gaping.

Will nodded hesitantly.

'Yes. Her real name is Eleven.'

Mike head swung to him, remembering the mark on El's arm that day at the quarry, his heart pounding with sudden understanding.

011\. The number, Will had told them after they'd cornered him, that the people in the lab had given the girl who had helped him instead of a name.

_'Because why would they give a lab-rat a name'._

Will's bitter and tear-soaked words from years ago echoed for a moment in his ears.

God, this explained so much. El was Eleven, the girl who had saved Will all those years ago. She had powers! Real freaking powers like the X-men or the Fantastic Four. It was how she'd stopped the bus, crumpling it like a used tissue with nothing but her mind to save him. And how she must have tripped Troy and stopped from hurting her the first day at school.

Mike began to pace, feeling like he'd been punched in the stomach, all the air rushing from his lungs, leaving him staggered and breathless, as he remembered what Will had told them the people in the lab were doing to that girl. To El.

They had been experimenting on her, he thought, horror running through him. Forcing her into sensory deprivations tanks, sending her into the Upside Down over and over to try to contact a monster, locking her in a tiny dark room as a punishment, and keeping her imprisoned in a lab her whole life, never letting her even see the outside world.

It explained why she was so afraid of water, why she didn't understand many of the things they thought were common knowledge, and why she was sometimes jumpy and nervous around other people.

How had El survived all that? How she had stayed sane and come out of that place the person she was? She wasn't bitter or angry at the world for what had happened to her. Somehow she had remained kind and selfless, so brave and loyal to the people she loved.

She was one of the best people Mike knew.

Will was already regretting telling them, as he looked at Dustin almost vibrating with excitement, Lucas eyes faraway, muttering something under his breath, and Mike pale and shaky.

El was so going to kill him. There was no doubt about it. He was a dead man.

'I really can't believe this. I thought I was losing my mind', Mike told them, pulling away from his thoughts, running a hand over his face, overwhelmed.

'Wait, if El is that girl, how did she escape? Wasn't she locked up in some lab?' Lucas asked, eyes focusing on Will.

So Will told them everything. How El had killed the Demogorgon to save him, but never told the people in the labs, protecting herself from punishment and him from being tracked down and silenced. How she had fought them, before pretending to cooperate, faking the results so that they would send her into the Upside Down, where she closed the gate behind her. And how she had used her powers to reopen it when it was safe, when everyone believed she was truly dead, except Brenner, who they'd locked away.

'She escaped two years after she helped me. She went into the Upside Down and closed herself in there for four months. Hopper found her in the woods when she came back and she's been living with him ever since', he finished, pressing his lips together and nodding awkwardly.

They all stared at him in complete silence, stunned, hardly believing what they'd just heard, but unable to deny the truth written all over Will's sad and guilt-ridden face.

'Wow! This is so damn cool!' Dustin suddenly burst out, making the rest of the boys jump, startled, and turn to glare at him.

But Dustin didn't notice, practically bouncing in his seat.

'Argh, I'm so annoyed I missed her stopping the bus. What else can she do with her powers? Do you think she can do mind-control like Obi-Wan does?'

Will rolled his eyes fondly.

Of course Dustin would focus on the mind powers part.

'I don't know. And you can't ask her', Will warned him, watching relieved as Dustin deflated slightly.

'Why not?' Dustin demanded, pouting at him.

Will let out a frustrated groan, resisting the urge to smack his head against the nearest wall.

'Uh, maybe because El would completely freak out that I told you and I have no plans to die any time soon. I promised her I wouldn't. And, come on, guys, think about it. The people in the Lab were holding her there for a reason, they wanted to use her powers for something. They think she's dead but if they got even a hint that she was still alive they'd come after her and lock her back in those labs so they could use her again. El...she wouldn't survive going back.

'All she wants is a normal life after everything she's gone through. You have to promise me you won't say anything to anyone, especially her. Nothing of what I told you leaves this room.'

They all swore quietly, faces solemn, spitting into their palms and shaking each others hands, grimacing slightly at the slimy feeling.

'How long was she in the Lab?' Mike asked in the quiet that followed, his churning uncomfortably, unsure if he really wanted the answer.

Will's eyes filled with sadness.

'Fifteen years.'

Stunned silence filled the room.

'Well...shit', Lucas said after a moment, eyes dull, lips pulled down into a sad grimace.

'Yeah', Dustin muttered, his face uncharacteristically serious.

They were silent, before quietly agreeing to go to bed, not looking at each other as they rolled out their sleeping bags, their minds too full of everything they'd found out.

They all laid down, misplaced guilt settling thick and nauseating in their stomachs at the thought of her locked away her entire life with no friends, family or kindness of any kind while they enjoyed their happy childhoods and freedom.

As they all stared at the basement ceiling, the only sounds their quiet breaths, Mike realised he had been keeping a secret of his own, and wriggled in his sleeping bag restlessly, debating whether to tell them or not.

He hastily worked up the nerve and spat the words out so fast they slurred together.

'ElandIkissed'.

There was a long pause before loud rustling filled the air as they all sat up, staring at him.

'Uh...come again?' Will said, one eyebrow raised.

Mike blushed, the heat rushing to his cheeks under the bemused gaze of his best friends and looked down at his blue sleeping bag.

'El and I....we...uh...sorta kissed', he mumbled, tugging on the zipper nervously, refusing to look up, the heat radiating from his cheeks so hot he was sure he could toast marshmallows on it.

They were silent, not responding and after a few tense moments Mike peeked up at them.

'What do you mean you sorta kissed? How do you sorta kiss someone?' Lucas asked, biting his lip hard to keep the grin he was barely holding back from spreading across his cheeks.

Mike rolled his eyes, blowing out an irritated breath.

'Okay, we completely kissed', he said, grabbing at his hair and pulling in frustration.

'When?' Dustin asked, a high-pitched giggle slipping out as Mike shrugged his shoulders jerkily, cheeks somehow darkening even more at the question.

'A month ago, just after the bus almost hit me. I went to see why she hadn't been at school, and I wanted to confront her about how she'd stopped it, and we ended up going swimming. And then she....just kissed me.'

'So...you like her then?' Will asked slowly, head cocked to the side, lips pressed together hard to stifle his laughter.  
Mike groaned, burying his head in his hands.

'Yes....No....Argh, I guess', he said, voice muffled, before peering at them through his fingers, waiting for the inevitable teasing to come.

He didn't have to wait long.

'Ooh, Mike and El sitting in a tree...' Dustin began to sing, fluttering his eyes at him, while Lucas made loud kissy noises at him, and Will couldn't hold back his laughter any longer and rolled around on his sleeping bag.

'Shut up. It's not funny,' Mike growled, tips of his ears going as red as his face as he leant over and pushed them over.

They all lay there gasping for breath, the occasional chuckle escaping, as Mike sat cross-legged on his sleeping bag, arms crossed over his chest, glaring at them grumpily.

'But seriously, Mike,' Dustin said, a little breathlessly, going up on his elbow to look at him in the dim light, 'if you and El start dating you're girlfriend would be like an actual superhero. How awesome is that?'

Mike thought about it for a moment, the frown falling off his face as he lay back on his sleeping bag. He rolled away from them to hide the huge grin creasing his cheeks at the thought of El as his girlfriend.

Yeah, he thought, it was pretty damn awesome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what's everyone's thoughts? I hope you liked the chapter and as always I love hearing from you all :)- K x  
> Oh, and one of you lovely reviewers, Jane, asked for my Tumblr which I coincidentally just made yesterday so if anyone else would like to follow me or have any asks or just want to chat my URL is https://www.tumblr.com/blog/strangers-love  
> xoxo


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!!! So...this chapter almost killed me. I went to edit and realised I hadn't finished it entirely and have been furiously typing all day! Not sure if I'm entirely happy with it but let me know what you think. Hopefully you like it :D

Mike glanced up from where he was sitting at the table in the basement, eyes burning and unfocused as he glared down at the maths equations he was struggling to finish, frowning when he heard a quiet tap on the door. 

He listened intently, ears straining but shrugged when all he heard was silence. He turned back to his homework, muttering irritably under his breath, and rubbing his eyes when he heard it again. 

He sighed, throwing his pencil down on the table and jumped to his feet, marching towards the door.   
It was probably just Lucas trying to get him to help with their English essay that was due in a few days, he thought, shaking his head as he grabbed the doorknob and pulled the door open. 

'Lucas, I'll help you in the morni....'

He stilled, words dying in his throat at who he saw standing in his doorway. 

Definitely not Lucas, he thought, as his eyes roved over El, who stood there in pink pyjama shorts and a black singlet, grinning at him widely, cheeks slightly flushed. 

Mike tried to return her smile but it came out as more of a grimace than anything. He shifted nervously on his feet, running a hand through his hair, his eyes skittering guiltily away from hers. 

He hadn't been alone with El since the Star Wars marathon and he and their friends had forced Will to spill her secret. He had felt guilty about it all week, unable to meet her eyes, afraid she would be able to tell he knew and would get upset. So he'd been avoiding her. 

And he could tell she'd noticed. She'd been glancing at him all week, her expression hurt and confused, and she'd started sitting as far away from him as possible at lunch and when they hang out, eating quietly and barely saying a word.

His chest tightened at the thought of the pain he'd seen her eyes, the pain that had faded over the months she'd been living in Hawkins's, stomach twisting sickeningly at the thought that he'd put it back there. 

'I want a milkshake', she said, cheerfully, completely oblivious to his anxious and guilty thoughts, bouncing on the balls of her feet. 

Mike just stared at her, completely confused, before glancing down at his watch, checking the time. 

'It's 9.30 at night.' 

El raised an eyebrow at him, expression suddenly impish. 

'And? Come get a milkshake with me?' she pleaded, pouting playfully, giving him the puppy dog eyes that she'd recently perfected on Hopper. 

Mike felt his lips twitch up slightly at her expression, all the protests that had been on the tip of his tongue falling away. 

Would he ever be able to say no to her? 

Probably not, a little voice inside his mind said, and he had to agree with it. 

He probably wouldn't, and he wasn't sure he wanted to. 

Mike glanced over his shoulder, paranoid, suddenly afraid his Mom was lurking behind him, listening to their conversation. He knew his Mom would never let him out this late on a Sunday without a good reason and he hurriedly thought of way he could get out for a little while. 

He nodded at El, grabbing hold of the door and beginning to close it. 

'Just give me a minute, okay? Meet me at my car', he said, shutting it fully, and turning to race up the basement stairs to the living room where his Mom was sitting watching television while his Dad snored softly in his arm chair. 

'Mom,' he said, breathlessly, 'I just realised Will has a book I need to study for the Chemistry exam tomorrow. Can I drive over and grab it?' 

He gave her his best pleading look, praying she didn't notice the way his left eye was twitching every few seconds at the lie. 

Karen glanced at the clock on the wall, frowning delicately at the time, before looking back at her son's begging face and sighed, shaking her head. 

'Okay, Mike, you can go, but be home in an hour. No later. I know how you boys can get.' 

'Thanks, Mom', Mike said, hastily grabbing his car keys and wallet, before practically running out the front door, giving her a absent wave goodbye over his shoulder. 

El stood near the passenger side of his car, shifting awkwardly, but her face light up when he walked out in a way that made his heart beat faster and his insides quiver slightly. 

'Hey', she said, voice soft. 

'Hey' he said, grinning at her, 'so you're really craving a milkshake, huh?' 

She nodded, and climbed inside the car as he unlocked it, quickly pulling her seat belt on. 

'You have no idea.' 

Mike put the car into gear, knowing his Mom might get suspicious if he hung out in the driveway too long, and backed the car out. 

They spent most the drive in silence as they made their way into town and Mike was surprised to find it wasn't awkward at all. 

He glanced over at El, and couldn't help but grin. She looked completely relaxed and comfortable beside him, her foot tapping absent-mindedly against the dashboard, knees tucked into her chest. She was singing softly and little off-key under her breath to Queen. 

El was so comfortable around him, trusted him so explicitly, that he sometimes felt humbled by it. Mike knew she wasn't that way around anyone else. She sometimes still flinched when Will touched her without warning, and Mike knew she trusted him with her life. He didn't understand what he had done to earn her trust so quickly but he wasn't going to question it.

Not when it meant he could have this time alone with her. 

'Are you mad at me?' she asked abruptly, face carefully blank as she looked at him, but she couldn't quite hide the hurt shining in her eyes. 

Mike swung wide eyes to hers, snapping out of his thoughts, and shook his head frantically. 

'No, of course not. Why would you think that?' 

She shrugged, shoulders tight and up around her ears as she curled up in a ball on the seat. She was so stiff, muscles braced as if for a blow, even if it was only an emotional one, and his stomach clenched at the sight. 

'I'm sorry. I know I've been acting weird. But I promise it was nothing you did.' 

She looked up at him from where she rested her head on her knee, and he squirmed under her gaze, feeling like she could see through to his very soul. She nodded after a moment, eyes brightening a little, and unravelled slowly from her protective ball, turning her head to look back out the window. 

'Okay.' 

He sighed in relief, hating the thought that she'd been worrying that she'd done something to upset him. 

He was such a jerk!

'So...' he said, rubbing his neck awkwardly, desperate to change the subject before she thought to ask why he'd been avoiding her, 'why didn't you just ask Will to come and get a milkshake with you? He lives closer and you wouldn't have had to walk so far.' 

El felt heat rush to her cheeks, suddenly grateful for the shadowy darkness of the car, and looked away, resolutely staring out the window, hoping he didn't how red she'd gone. 

'I didn't want to go with Will...I wanted to go with you...' she muttered, so quietly he had to strain to hear her, tugging on the hem of her singlet self-consciously. 

Mike looked at her for a long second, before a wide smile curved his lips and he turned back to the road, barely resisting the urge to fist pump the air. 

They drove up to the dinner and Mike quickly undid his seatbelt, turning to face her. 

'You coming in?' 

El squinted at him slightly, before gesturing down at her pyjama clad body, expression amused. 

Mike's cheeks flushed, and he shook his head, sheepishly. 

'Right. I'll just run in then. What flavour do you want?' 

'Surprise me?' 

Mike blinked at her, raising his eyebrows, silently asking for an explanation and she sighed, tucking her hair behind her ears. 

'The first milkshake I ever tried was chocolate and I loved it so much I haven't tried anything else. I was afraid I wouldn't like the other flavours. So could you...pick a different one for me? So I don't have to choose.' 

Mike nodded, before climbing out of the car and walking into the 24 hour diner, the only thing open in town. 

El sat in the car, fiddling with the radio, lost in her thoughts, and jumped when the door was pulled open, gasping slightly in fright, before laughing quietly at herself. 

Mike sat down, pulling the door closed awkwardly with his hands full and found himself smiling at the sound of her laughter. She didn't laugh enough. 

'What's so funny?' 

'Nothing', she said, shaking her head and looking down at the two long foam cups he had in his hand.

Mike decided not to push and held the two drinks out to her. 

'Okay, so I bought two different flavours. You can try both and whatever one you don't like I'll have. I like all of them so...' he said, trailing off and shrugging at her. 

El looked at him for a long moment, her eyes softening and glistening, and Mike frowned at her, surprised by the way her lips trembled slightly. 

'What?' he asked, confused. 

She shook her head, feeling hot tears filling her eyes at the way he was always thinking about her, and pressed her lips together to keep them from trembling again. 

She blinked back the tears, not wanting him to know how much that simple act of kindness had affected her, knowing it would only embarrass them both, and reached out to take the drinks he held out. 

El glanced through the plastic lid curiously at the yellow liquid inside and took a long sip from the straw. 

As the taste hit her tongue her face scrunched up, and she held that one back out to him, taking a long sip of the other to wash the taste from her mouth. 

'Ugh,' she said, sticking out her tongue, and Mike laughed.

'Okay, no to the banana one then?'

She grimaced, shaking her head. 

'No banana.' 

Mike drove them back to the house, parking around the corner so his Mom didn't realise he was already home and looked over at El as they climbed out of the car, milkshakes finished. 

'Mom said I don't have to be home for an hour so we still have...' he squinted at his watch in the darkness, 'forty minutes. We could go for a walk if you want.' 

El smiled and nodded eagerly. They walked out into the grassy area across from his house, pace easy and relaxed and chatted quietly, about school and the spring fling which El was beyond excited for. She couldn't wait to wear the dress Joyce had let her pick out the weekend before. 

When the conversation trailed off into silence after a few minutes, Mike flicked her a look and softened at the soft smile curving her lips as she stared up at the night sky. 

El abruptly flung herself down onto the grassy hill, lying on her back and looking up at the sky, her fingers curling in the grass beneath her.

She glanced up at Mike, biting her lip and trying not to laugh at the bewildered look he often wore around her, and patted the ground beside her. 

'Lay down with me?' 

Mike swallowed hard and slowly lowered himself to the ground and lay down beside her, every muscle in his body tensing as he became hyper-aware of every tiny movement she made, never having been this close to her before. 

El shuffled closer to him as a cool breeze blew across the hill, and rested her head lightly against his shoulder. Mike breathed in the familiar scent of her lavender shampoo and felt his entire body relax, and shifted closer, so close the warmth from her arm soaked into his side and her hair tickled his ear and jaw. 

'I love the stars', she said, lifting a finger in the air and chasing invisible patterns between the stars, sighing happily. 

Mike turned his head to look at her in the muted darkness, eyes tracing the profile of her forehead, nose and chin adoringly. 

'Me too. My Mom and Dad bought me a telescope for my tenth birthday, and a book about stars, constellations and planets and how to find them. I used to stay up all night looking for them. It was so cool. I was so upset when it broke', he told her, grinning as he remembered sitting out on the roof for hours every night, sneaking out when his Mom told him not to, convinced he would discover a new planet or an alien race. 

When he told her that El giggled, imagining him as a tiny ten year old with messy black hair huddled up on the roof with a blanket looking for UFOs. 

'That sounds fun. I hate the darkness, you know. The night can be so dark and scary, it hides too much, you never know what could be hiding in it. But the stars change all that, they light up the sky, and they're so bright. It's comforting to know they're always there. Hopper takes me out to look at the stars all the time when I have a nightmare or just can't sleep. We just sit outside for hours, saying nothing. It makes me feel better.' 

Mike felt a pang of sadness inside him, and he looked over at her, lips pulling down, hating that she was so afraid still, that the Bad Men had done that to her. 

But El didn't notice his stare, too focused on the beauty above her, her expression awed, eyes gleaming in the darkness, and his favourite half-smile curving her lips. 

He swallowed, face hardening with determination and curled his hand around hers where it lay beside his hip, running his thumb gently over her knuckles. El stilled at the touch, before she turned her head to face him. Heat rushed to her cheeks as they eyes collided, and she bit her lip as she slipped her cool fingers between his hot and sweaty ones, smiling before looking away. 

'You know there are stories that go with them? The constellations and stars', he told her quietly as the heat began to fade from his own cheeks.

El's eyes widened, and she rolled onto her side, leaning up on her elbow and staring across at him. 

'Really?' 

He smiled at the surprise and wonder on her face and nodded. 

'Really. I can lend you a book about them if you want.' 

'Can you tell me some now?' 

'Uh...sure. Let me just....see there,' Mike said, pointing up at the sky with their still joined hands, not willing to let go for anything, and traced a familiar shape in the sky above them. 

'See how the stars make up the shape of a bow and arrow, right there'. 

She frowned for a moment, lips pursing and eyes squinting before she nodded, and followed the path his finger had taken. 

He grinned. 

'Yeah there. See how the stars around it take the form of a man? Well, that is Orion. He was supposed to be...like the greatest hunter in history. But he angered one of the gods by claiming that he could kill any animal in the world, so she tried to kill him with a scorpion. He was saved but he became so famous the gods put him in the stars.' 

El gaped, completely awed by the person in the sky and sat up eagerly, sitting back on her heels and bouncing slightly with excitement. 

'What other stories are there?' 

Mike laughed at her excitement and told her. 

He showed Andromeda, and told her how she had almost been sacrificed to a sea monster because of her vain mother's arrogance, and had just began to explain the story of Hercules, the son of Zeus, when he glanced down at his watch and blanched, seeing he only had a few minutes to get home. 

He scrambled quickly to his feet, heart pounding and held out a hand for her so he could help pull her up. El took it, eyes wide at his abrupt movements, and let him pull her to her feet, completely bewildered. 

'Sorry, I gotta go. Mom will freak if I'm late,' Mike told her, tugging her towards the house quickly. 

El flicked him a look as they neared the sidewalk outside his house, and bit her lip before asking the question on her mind. 

'So was this a date?' she asked, curiously, looking up at him. 

'What?' he spluttered, turning surprised eyes to hers. 

'Milkshake, star-gazing, hand-holding. It just seems like a date, from what I've read' she said, tilting her head, frowning when he went red, faltering slightly, almost tripping over his own feet. 

'Uh...I guess,' he said, rubbing his neck nervously, before glancing down at her, curiously, 'Would you want it to be a date?' 

El ducked her head slightly, chewing her lip nervously. 

'Yes. I'd really like that, Mike.' 

He stared at her for a moment, before he let out a breath he'd been holding, a grin stretching his cheeks. 

'Great. Brilliant', he said, before freezing, grin falling of his face, as he cursed himself. 

Brilliant? Bloody hell, he was an idiot. 

El laughed, wrapping her hand around his wrist, feeling his pulse jump beneath her fingers as she boosted herself up on her toes and brushed her mouth against his softly. 

Mike moved his against hers quickly before she pulled back. He rocked slightly, chasing her lips, and almost fell forward. His arms flailed, eyes shooting open, and El quickly grabbed his arm, steadying him. 

'Brilliant', she repeated, rolling the word around in her mouth, the heat of his cheeks warming hers. 'I like it'.

She smiled when he beamed at her, dark eyes warm. 

'Thank you for coming with me, Mike. I really liked our date. I'll see you at school tomorrow?' she said, walking away backwards, not wanting to look away, to stop looking at him, just yet. 

'Yeah, tomorrow. Tomorrow's great. Bye, El', he said, wincing at his weird phrasing, but she just scrunched her nose at him, amused, before turning and walking away, skipping slightly.

Mike stood and watched until she was out of sight, his body thrumming with excitement. He felt oddly exhilarated, like he'd touched a live wire and survived. He didn't realise until his cheeks began to ache slightly that he was grinning like an idiot. 

If anyone could see me they'd think I was crazy, he thought, but couldn't stop the giddiness that rose in his chest, making him laugh. 

He walked into the house, and Karen blinked at the look on his face. His cheeks were flushed and he was almost vibrating, barely able to keep still. 

'Have fun at Will's?' she asked, eyebrows raised. 

He turned and looked at her, eyes alight with something...something she couldn't quite place...something she hadn't seen on her baby boy's face before. 

'You know what...I really did', he said, before rushing up the stairs two at a time into his room where he flung himself on the bed, covering his face with the pillow, hiding his idiotic expression from the rest of the world, pumping his fist into the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always I love to hear from you guys <3- K


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!! I wasn't going to post this chapter tonight but then I thought what the hell :) Things really progress in this chapter in some ways as you'll see ;) So here it is: THE SPRING FLING!!- K x

Mike was pacing the length of his living room, tugging at the bottom of his black tie, looking out the window every couple of minutes impatiently. 

'Where are they?' he muttered under his breath, peering out into the dark street, the only light outside coming from the streetlights, no incoming cars in sight. 

Lucas and Dustin watched his pacing, rolling their eyes at each other, as they lounged back on the couch, both in their own suits, Lucas's classic black with a purple dress shirt, and Dustin's light blue with a white ruffled shirt. 

Mike let the curtain fall back into place with a disappointed sigh, and turned back to find his two friends smirking at him. 

'Stop it! You're making me nervous.' 

'Aw, is little Mike nervous for his date with El?' Lucas said, in a high-pitched baby voice, causing Dustin to snort out a laugh. 

Mike glared at him, heat rushing to his cheeks as he gave Lucas the finger. 

'It's not a date,' he told him, defensively, throwing himself back on the couch, before straightening hastily, paranoid his Mom could come in and yell at him for rumpling his suit. 

The grins fell off Lucas and Dustin's faces and they stared at him, mouths hanging open. 

'Why the hell not?' Dustin demanded, tone bewildered.

Mike jerked his shoulder a little sheepishly, the words having slipped out without his permission. 

'I don't know...I just...didn't ask her. I didn't think she wanted me to'. 

Dustin and Lucas exchanged exasperated looks, turning back to Mike with heavy sighs, burdened with the fact that their friend truly was an idiot. 

'Mike, it's kind of astounding how dense you can be,' Dustin said, shaking his head at him, his curls swaying slightly. 

'Yeah, dude, it was really obvious she wanted you to ask', Lucas told him, watching as Mike's face fell. 

'Well, it's too late now! God, I'm such a moron,' he groaned, throwing his head back into the couch with a muffled thud. 

Dustin came over, rolling his eyes, and patted Mike on the shoulder comfortingly. 

'Yup, you definitely are.' 

Mike opened one eye to glare at him, and Dustin leaned back, hands up in surrender, before turning to Lucas, grinning. 

'At least the rest of us will have someone to dance with now. Mike can't hog El all night if she's not his date.' 

Lucas suddenly smirked at him, looking almost smug.

'Well, I already told El you dance like an orangutan so I wouldn't hold you breath', he laughed as Dustin gawked at him, hand on his chest, deeply offended. 

'I do not!' 

'Uh...pretty sure you do.' 

'Screw you, Lucas!' 

Mike gritted his teeth in frustration, and leant forward, whacking them both across the back of the head. 

'Guys, quit it!' 

'Hey!' they both yelled, indignantly, scowling at him. 

Dustin rubbed his head, shotting an annoyed look at Lucas, opening his mouth to say something when the door bell suddenly rang. 

They all exchanged looks and jumped to their feet, knocking into and tripping each other to be the first to reach the door, muttering under their breaths and cursing loudly. 

Mike squeezed past Dustin and Lucas, a little winded, the hair he'd spent ages trying to flatten standing up on end, and yanked the door open. 

'Hey guys....' he began before choking, the words getting caught in his throat as his mouth popped open, eyes going huge in his head. 

Holy shit!

It was the only thing he could think.

El's looked like a princess, her short dark hair shining under the bright light of the front step. Her dress was the palest blue with flimsy lace straps that seemed like they'd fall of her shoulders, the top of it a sweet-heart neckline that exposed her collarbones and the curves of her chest, and a full tulle skirt that fell to her knees. 

Her hair was adorned by a matching blue headband, her eyes shadowed by silver eyeshadow that made her eyes glow warmly, and matched her strappy silver heels, while her lips were slicked a pretty pink. 

'Wow,' he breathed after a long moment, staring at her, not realising he'd said it aloud until El blushed prettily, a half-smile curving her lips. 

She tucked her hair behind her ear shyly, butterflies suddenly fluttering in her stomach, making her feel slightly nauseous and jittery. But in a good way. 

Hopper, Joyce, and even Will, had told her that she looked pretty, but the way Mike was staring at her, almost dreamily, a cheesy grin spreading across his face, made her feel like she was the most beautiful girl in the world. 

Will looked between his two friends where he stood in the doorway beside El, biting his lip to keep from laughing as Mike smiled goofily and El blushed bright red. 

He waved a hand in front of Mike's face, chuckling as Mike blinked, eyes focusing on him, before his face flooded with colour. 

'Hey Mike'. 

'Hey Will', he mumbled sheepishly, stepping back to let them in where Lucas and Dustin were waiting eagerly. 

They all began to talk loudly, speaking over one another, excited for the night to come. 

Karen came into the room, a camera hanging around her neck and smiled brightly at them. 

'Time for photos', she said, rolling her eyes as the boys all groaned, before turning to El, her eyes lighting up, 'Oh, don't look you pretty, El.' 

She gestured for them all to crowd together, and they did, wrapping their arms around each other, heads close together, and smiled broadly at the camera. They took a few funny ones, sticking their tongues out and pulling silly faces. 

Mike glanced down at El as she scrunched her face at the camera, laughing, and hesitantly wound his arm around her waist. 

El startled, stiffening slightly. Mike's stomach churned in worry as he felt her tense, not wanting to scare her away and ruin everything, and went to yank his arm back when El relaxed against him, placing her hand on top of his. 

She looked up at him, smiling, and Mike looked down at her in awe, unable to believe this amazing girl liked him, just as Karen clicked a photo. It would up being Mike's favourite photo of the night. 

Karen sighed, tears prickling her eyes, as she watched them. She was thrilled by the adoring way Mike looked at El and had noticed the way his eyes followed her whenever she was over, as if he couldn't believe she existed and was afraid she'd disappear. 

But what made her even happier was that El looked at him the exact same way. It was the kind of relationship she'd always wanted for her baby. 

Mike, too focused on El to notice his Mom's teary reaction, leant down to whisper to her. 

'You do. Look really pretty, I mean.' 

El shivered as his lips brushed her ear, and smiled happily, clasping her hands in front of her, skirt rustling. 

'Thank you.' 

The boys, having overheard, exchange amused looks and put their fingers in their mouths, pretending to gag. 

El peered around Mike at them, frowning, eyes concerned. 

'Ignore them. They're idiots,' Mike said, elbowing them blindly, laughing when he heard a loud 'Ow!' 

Karen, having fanned the tears back, clapped her hands to get everyone's attention as the teased each other good-naturedly, all looking so grown up in their suits. 

'Okay, everyone to the car. If we don't leave now, you'll never get there'. 

They all piled into the car, El in the front seat so her dress didn't get ruined. The boys were all squished together like sardines in the backseat, Will and Dustin's faces pressed into the windows, Mike and Lucas almost sitting in each other's laps. 

They all scrambled from the car after what felt like the longest car ride ever, waving goodbye to Karen who promised to pick them up at 10, before they walked into the hall, giving their tickets to the teacher standing at the door. 

El looked around the hall in awe, her eyes wide. 

Everything was so pretty, the auditorium completely transformed from what it usually looked like. Streamers hung from the ceiling, a disco ball hanging above the middle of the dance floor shooting colours everywhere, while multi-coloured balloons formed an archway which they passed under as they entered the Spring Fling. Loud music boomed from the speakers up on the pop-up stage where a DJ sat, head bouncing enthusiastically to Wham. 

Some of their classmates were already on the dance floor, in brightly coloured dresses and suits, dancing and singing loudly, laughter ringing out over the music. 

They all walked over to the table lining the wall, filled with food and bright orange punch, and began to help themselves, none of them having eaten yet. 

Mike poured a glass and handed it to El, smiling as she took it absently, her eyes moving frantically around, fascinated by everything she saw. 

The smile faltered slightly, sadness rising in him at the realisation that this was her first dance ever. 

The song suddenly changed, Crocodile Rock beginning to play. Dustin's eyes widened and he began to jump excitedly. 

He rushed over to El, almost knocking an annoyed Mike into the punch bowl, putting her drink down as she blinked at him, confused. 

'We have to dance to this song', he told her, grabbing her hand and dragging her out to the dance floor, sticking his tongue out at Lucas as they passed, who just rolled his eyes. 

Mike laughed at the bewildered look on El's face, as Dustin pulled her behind him. 

When they reached the dance floor Dustin twirled her in a circle, before throwing his arms around like a crazy man, a huge grin on his face as he sung along at the top of his lungs. 

El slapped a hand to her mouth, giggling at him, before trying to copy his exaggerated movements, swinging her arms over her head, jumping up and down, the music so loud the beat seemed to pulse in her body. 

The boys all laughed, watching them and walked over to join. Mike and Will danced more sedately than El and Dustin, their heads bobbing along to the beat. Lucas challenged Dustin to a dance contest, both throwing their best moves, including Dustin doing the moves from Saturday Night Fever, and Lucas countering with a flawless Thriller routine, leaving him the ultimate champion. 

Lucas left them an hour into the night when his date, Jessica, arrived. The rest of the group danced together for most of the night, gasping for breath, hearts pounding in their chests, and their hair pasted to their foreheads with sweat. 

A slow song came on after a while and Mike froze, staring down at El who was totally oblivious, watching most of the students except for the couples leave the dancefloor to get a drink or sit down and talk. 

Will elbowed Mike, jerking his head casually at El before turning and walking away with Dustin, who grinned at him as his walked away, giving him a quick thumbs up. 

Mike fidgeted nervously, rubbing at the back of his neck, looking down at El desperately, as couples danced around them, some of them glancing at them curiously.

He opened his mouth, wanting to ask her to dance, unable to remember anything he'd wanted more, but he couldn't get the words out, his heart beating wildly in his chest. 

El watched as his mouth opened and closed like a fish for a few minutes, before he sighed, staring down at the floor, his shoulder slumped. El smiled softly at him, understanding what he wanted, and glanced around, spotting the fire exit beside the stage. 

She curled her hand around his, tugging on it gently to get his attention. He looked up at her expectantly, and she tilted her head in the direction of the door, pulling him with her. 

He glanced around nervously for teachers as they reached the Emergency Exit, not wanting to get in trouble for using it, but El just pushed it open confidently, walking until they reached the grassy area across from the auditorium.

El sighed as the slight breeze cooled her over-heated body, pulling her headband off her head and shaking out her sweaty hair as Mike watched, hands in his suit pockets. 

She turned back to him, her eyes huge and luminous, seeming to glow in the moonlight. 

'I thought you might feel better dancing out here,' she told him, voice soft. 

Mike's face softened slightly at her words, falling for her all the more for the way she cared how he felt and was trying to make it easier for him. The same way he did for her. They always looked out for each other. 

He nodded, swallowing hard, and stepped forward, wrapping trembling hands around her waist. El placed her hands on his shoulders the way Lucas had showed her, feeling his muscles shift under her fingers and they began to sway to the music spilling out of the open windows of the auditorium. 

El ran her fingers through the hair that curled at the back of Mike's neck, her heart speeding up as his breath hitched and his eyes closed, his lips brushing the top of her head. 

She sighed contentedly, resting her head on his chest. 

At that exact moment, Mike stumbled and he stepped heavily on her foot. 

El flinched, pulling back slightly, letting out a noise that was half-groan half-laugh, and shook her foot. 

Mike squeezed his eyes shut, mortified, adams apple bobbing. 

'Argh, El, I'm sorry...' he told her, voice thick with embarrassment. 

Ugh, he always ruined everything. Why would she ever want to be with a clumsy idiot like him? 

'Mike...' El said, frowning slightly, not understanding why he was so embarrassed. 

She melted slightly at the adorable way his nose was scrunching up and rose up on her toes, kissing it quickly. 

Mike jerked slightly, eyes snapping open and stared at her, cheeks darkening, his freckles black flecks in the moonlight. 

She smiled reassuringly at him, her nose crinkling, and he relaxed, relief rushing through him, pressing his forehead to hers. 

'Sorry', he said again, 'I really suck at this, huh?' 

She shook her head quickly, expression serious. 

'No, you don't', she whispered, twining her arms around his neck. 

Mike gave her a small smile, and they began to sway again, oblivious to the laughter and noise of other people in the gym, focused only on each other.

Mike sighed after a while as he saw a few students beginning to leave in the parking lot, realising the dance was going to finish soon and his Mom would be back to get them, and reluctantly let go of El. 

'We better head in', he told her, laughing when she pouted slightly. 

He took her hand, both of them beginning to walk back to the hall when El stopped suddenly. He glanced back at her curiously and she gestured towards a nearby tree. 

'Can we just sit? For a little while longer? I don't want to go inside just yet.'

He nodded eagerly, not wanting to go back either, and they sat down close to one another, her head lying against his shoulder, his chin resting on the top of her head. He felt her shiver slightly and quickly shrugged out of his suit jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders, pulling it in close, before wrapping his arms around her. 

El snuggled into him, hiding her smile in his chest. 

'This good?' he whispered, nuzzling her head with his chin. 

El turned her head, looking up and giving him his favourite half-smile. 

'Really good.' 

Mike's eyes dropped to the corner of her mouth as she smiled, and felt a sudden hunger rise in him, making his stomach clench, his eyes darkening as they flitted to hers. 

El's breathed hitched at the sudden determined look in his eyes, butterflies erupting in her stomach. 

Mike leant forward abruptly, pressing his lips to her and moving them against hers hungrily in the first kiss he'd initiated. He ran one of his hands up her spine, before spreading it against her back and pressing her closer, feeling as if he couldn't get close enough.

El whimpered quietly against his mouth, and twisted around, lips not leaving his, to climb onto his lap, legs either side of his, her skirt fanning out around them. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his dress shirt, yanking him even closer, until her chest was flush against his chest. 

Mike groaned, brushing his tongue against her bottom lip, following some instinct, and she opened her mouth with a gasping breath. His tongue slid along hers slowly, and she copied his movements curiously, both exploring each other leisurely. 

He moved his lips down, pressing a trail of frantic kisses down her jaw, neck and across her collarbone. 

El had never felt so good in her life, this kiss even better than the ones they'd shared before. She gasped as she felt Mike's hands skimming up her waist and hesitantly running over her chest, squeezing gently. She dug her fingers into his hair and arched into the touch. 

Mike marvelled at the softness of her skin, groaning as her breasts seemed to swell under his hands, feeling his pants grow tighter. He shifted slightly, trying to get more comfortable and stiffened anxiously when El froze above him, pulling back slightly. 

El looked down, breathing hard, as she felt something nudge against her thigh, and blinked when she saw the outline of him pressing through his pants. She glanced back at him, and bit her lip to keep from laughing when he blushed, shifting awkwardly below her. 

'Uh...that's just...' he said, beginning to try and explain it to her, unable to remember a time when he'd been more embarrassed. 

El pressed her hand quickly to his mouth, halting his words, laughing at his mortified expression. 

'Mike, it's okay. I know what it is, I had the talk a long time ago. You don't have to explain'. 

'Oh thank god!' Mike groaned, sagging back against the tree, closing his eyes in relief. 

He opened them again when he felt her lips press against his neck, gentle and a little unsure. 

El sent him a tremulous smile, and he lifted her chin, pressing his lips to hers again, the kiss slower and more gentle, the urgency gone. He cupped her head, pulling his jacket closer around her when she shivered with the other hand. 

A sudden loud cough caught their attention and they froze, springing apart slightly. They stared at each other, eyes wide, both their mouths swollen, before turning and staring at their three friends who smirked at them, arms crossed over their chests. 

'Well...shit!' Mike whispered, horrified.

El giggled nervously, patting at her mussed hair, trying to flatten it.

'Caught red-handed, Wheeler!' Dustin cackled, pointing at them. 

'Hands off the girl, sir', Lucas said, mock-glaring at him, unable to hold back the grin on his face. 

Mike blushed, wincing slightly, as El scrambled out of his lap, dropping his jacket over him casually to help hide his reaction from their friends, and their inevitable teasing. 

She sat beside him, her cheeks as red as Mike's and quickly pulled the straps of her dress back up. 

Will looked down at Mike, glancing pointedly at his lap, eyebrow raised knowingly, and he shot him a pleading look. Will chuckled at him, but slapped Lucas and Dustin on their shoulders to get their attention, distracting them in the process. 

'Come on, guys, let's go save them some punch while they....cool down. They look like they need it.' 

The both laughed but thankfully began to walk away, wolf-whistling and catcalling at them over their shoulders, only stopping when they reached the door that lead inside. 

Mike and El sat on the grass for a moment, before turning and looking at each other. El's twitched in amusement and suddenly they were both laughing. 

'That was...' El said, giggling breathlessly, wiping at the tears of mirth that were leaking from her eyes. 

'Horrifying,' Mike said, groaning slightly through the laughter, knowing they were never going to let them, and especially him, live it down. 

El nodded, biting her lip to keep from laughing again, before standing and holding her hand out to help Mike up, before they walked back to the auditorium, knowing they'd have to face their friends sometime. 

Karen came to pick them up not long after, and they all climbed into the car, Lucas in the front this time, El sitting in Mike's lap, her head resting sleepily against his chest, to Karen's delight as she looked at them in the rear-view mirror. 

When Karen asked them how the dance had gone, Lucas turned in his seat and smirked deviously at them, wiggling his eyebrows, while Dustin sat forward eagerly, sniggering quietly, and Will winked at them, opening his mouth to tell her exactly how well the dance went. 

Mike glared at them warningly, and El stiffened, narrowing her eyes at them and their smiles all faltered as they remembered exactly what she could do to them if they made her angry. 

Not that she would, she would never hurt her friends (and not that she knew they knew she could), but the threat was there anyways.

They all sighed, disappointed to lose the chance to tease their friends, instead telling her about the music, decorations and how Lucas's date went.

Karen dropped Dustin, and then Lucas off, the cunning looks on their faces and smug grins as they left letting Mike and El know that the teasing wasn't over. Not even close. 

Joyce was already waiting at the Wheeler's to pick up Will, and they drove off, Will waving goodbye out the window, thrilled for his two friends. Mike and El decided to wait for Hopper out on the front stoop while Karen went inside, saying goodnight to El.

El was half-asleep as they waited, her head resting on Mike's shoulder, his arm warm around her shoulders, barely able to keep her eyes open. Mike dropped his head on hers, feeling himself starting to drift off when headlights flashed across them, making them both jerk upright, blinking blearily at the familiar Hawkins's police logo on the side of Hopper's car. 

El stumbled to her feet, swaying slightly before righting herself and smiled down at Mike sleepily, yawning as she waved at him. 

'Night, Mike', she told him, turning to walk to the car where Hopper waited patiently, fiddling with the radio. 

Mike eyes popped wide, heart speeding up, adrenaline rushing through him as he jumped to his feet, not wanting to end the night like this, still unsure about where they stood with each other. 

He rushed forward, catching her wrist in his hand before she reached the car. El turned back to him, frowning, lips pursed in confusion.

Mike swallowed, shifting his feet slightly before lifting his chin, expression determined, forcing the words out quickly before he completely lost his nerve. 

'El, do you want to be my girlfriend?' 

El's eyes widened, suddenly feeling wide awake. She stared at him, at how nervous he was, hands shaking at his sides, and her lips spread into a huge smile, giddiness bubbling up in her chest. 

'Yes, I want to be your girlfriend, Mike.' 

Mike's shoulders slumped forward with relief, and he grinned at her, almost vibrating with happiness. 

She said yes! he thought dazedly, not quite able to believe it, barely resisting the urge to scream it at the top of his lungs. 

El was his girlfriend. 

El laughed at his dumbfounded expression, brushing her thumb against his cheek, tracing the crescent shape his freckles formed on one side. 

Mike eyes swung to hers, stunned to find them looking at him so adoringly. 

'Pretty. Your freckles', she explained when he frowned at her in confusion, her eyes bright and gentle, 'They're one of my favourite things.' 

Mike cheeks flushed, embarrassed but almost absurdly pleased that she thought he was pretty. 

He leant down, and placed his lips against hers gently. El kissed him back with a content sigh, her hands resting lightly on his arms as she closed her eyes. 

The loud honking of a car made them both jump, their eyes swinging towards the car, stunned. 

They'd both completely forgotten about Hopper, who was glaring at Mike through the windshield, eyes narrowed in a way that promised bodily harm if he didn't let go his daughter. 

Mike jerked away from El as if he'd touched something hot, giving her a nervous smile before bolting to the front door with a quick wave goodbye, slamming it shut behind him. 

Hopper chuckled darkly, amused by Mike's reaction, leaning over to push the door open as El walked over and clumsily climbed inside, resting her head against the back of the seat, expression dreamy. 

He studied her glowing face, her smile looking like it would crack her face, and sighed heavily, though his eyes were warm, secretly thrilled on the inside for his girl. 

'Have a good night, kiddo?' 

Her head bobbed frantically as she nodded, and then leant her head on her elbow, sighing happily as she looked out into the darkness outside the window. 

Hopper rolled his eyes as he backed out of the driveway. 

Terrific. El was officially a love-sick teenager.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did everyone think? Let me know, love hearing from you- K x


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!!! Loving all the reviews from the last few chapters! You're all so amazing and some of them made me laugh so hard so thank you! Okay, so here's the next chapter. Really hope you like this one cause...IT'S EL'S BIRTHDAY!

Summer had finally came and with it three months of complete freedom, no school, homework or bullies to deal with to their combined delight.

And they planned to take advantage of it.

They spent almost everyday together swimming at the quarry, which El had showed them, sweating in Mike's basement watching movies or cartoons when it almost too hot to move or wolfing down ice-creams and lying under the sprinklers Karen had set up for Holly when they babysat her.

They had gotten their bikes out from storage and biked everywhere instead of driving, El always on the back of Mike's, unable to ride on her own yet, her arms wrapped around his waist. They showed her all their old haunts from when they were kids, including Mirkwood, the rail tracks and the junk yard where they'd used to climb inside the rusting old bus and pretend to drive it.

El and Mike were practically inseparable and had gone on their first official dates, first to the pop-up outdoor cinema where they'd spent half the movie making out, barely able to keep their hands off each other since the Spring Fling, and then to rollerskating rink where they'd clung to each other, slipping and sliding across the floor, falling over too many times to count. They hadn't cared, though, laughing so hard their stomachs had hurt the next day, along with their matching bruised elbows, knees and butts.

They spent so much time together that the boys were stunned to find out halfway through the summer that El's birthday was coming up. They'd had no idea, El having not said a word about it, and the only reason they even found out was because Will overheard Joyce asking Hopper if El had hinted to him what she wanted.

He had bolted to his room, calling everyone over their supercoms, voice breathless and frantic.

'Guys! Are you there? El's birthday is on the 11th. Did any of you know? We really need to plan something like...asap. Over.'

'What? That's in three days! Why wouldn't she tell us? Over', Dustin answered after a few moments, hurrying to pull out a half-full school book, and opening it to a empty page, ready to begin planning.

Mike's threw himself back on his bed, and sighed heavily, rubbing at his suddenly hot eyes, before holding the supercom to his face, pressing the button to speak.

'Isn't it obvious? No-one's ever made a big deal about it before. She's probably never even had a birthday cake. Over.'

There was nothing but the crackle of static before Lucas's voice came through the speakers, tone full of purpose.

'We'll just have to make this the most amazing birthday ever then. So what do you think we should do?'

So they began to plan. They debated for a whole day straight, between hanging out with El, and finally decided on a camping trip at the lake, Will remembering El's interest when he'd explained what it was after she'd overheard him talking to Jonathan on the phone about him taking him on one when he came back from a photography trip in August.

They recruited Joyce to convince a very reluctant Hopper to let El go, too scared to ask him themselves. Hopper was not happy with the idea of El camping overnight with four seventeen year old boys, one of them her boyfriend.

Joyce had sent the boys outside so the adults could talk, and she rolled her eyes at him as he grumbled under his breath.

'They'll all be staying in a tent together, Jim. What the hell are they going to do?'

He raised his eyebrows at her, smirking slightly, arms crossed over his chest.

'Have you forgotten what _we_ got up to even when there was a group of us?'

Joyce flushed slightly, hitting him on the shoulder when he laughed. She let out a fake put-upon sigh, pursing her lips.

'It's El and Mike we're talking about. Come on, be the cool Dad, Hop.'

Hopper hissed out a breath and threw his hands up, defeated. He pointedly ignored Joyce's triumphant smile as she called the boys in to tell them the good news.

Hopper looked all of the them in the eyes, face stony, and stabbed a finger in their direction.

'No funny business. Understood?'

They all gulped, blanching and nodded quickly.

'Yes, sir!'

**  
El woke slowly, content to just snuggle beneath her sheets, feeling fully rested for the first time in a long time. She smiled sleepily, opening bleary eyes for a second before pressing her face into her pillow, stretching lazily with a low groan.

She hadn't had a nightmare, she realised, surprised but thrilled. She'd been practically plagued by them since Hopper had moved them back to Hawkins's, never sleeping a whole night through. But last night she finally had.

Not a bad way to start her birthday, she thought absently, beginning to drift back to sleep, feeling it dragging her back under.

She started as the thought registered and her eyes popped open. A wide grin creased her cheeks as she stared up at the peeling white ceiling, excitement bubbling up inside her. She kicked her legs free of the sheets, sitting up and giggling when she spotted the single pink balloon tied to the foot of her bed.

It was her birthday. She was seventeen, finally, just like the boys.

It was her first birthday outside of the Lab and away from the Bad Men...well, it was her first birthday ever really, and she intended to enjoy every second of it.

Hopper had made a huge deal about it the night before, having an early celebration with just the two of them as he had to work on the actual day to both their disappointment.

He'd let her pick a bunch of movies to rent, and had sat through cheesy rom-coms and Sleeping Beauty without a single complaint or grumble while they'd eaten pepperoni pizza, El's favourite. He'd brought out a pile of Eggos with a blue candle stuck in it to her delight and she'd blown out the flame, unable to think of anything to wish for.

Everything was so perfect. She had Mike, and her friends, Hopper and Joyce, school and Eggos! What more could she want?

Hopper had then pulled a messily wrapped present from behind his back, giving it to her then because he didn't want her to have to wait or for him to miss out on seeing her reaction.

She'd unwrapped the purple wrapping paper as he watched, a little anxiously, and had stared, tears prickling her eyes, as she saw the familiar image on the box. A supercom. He'd bought her a supercom!

She'd turned shining brown eyes to Hopper who had cleared his throat, gruffly, his own eyes feeling suspiciously wet, and leant over her shoulder to point at and explain the different features.

'I know your friends all have one so I thought you'd like one as well so you can talk to them whenever you want and...uh...yeah,' he trailed off, scratching as his chin self-consciously, 'Do you like it?'

El nodded, her lips trembling and sight blurring as she stared down at the box.

'I love it,' she said, sniffling.

Hopper laughed and casually wiped at his own eyes.

'Good. Maybe now my phone bill won't be so bloody high', he joked, winking at her.

El threw herself at him, bursting into happy tears, and wrapped her arms around his waist. Hopper quickly caught her, beyond stunned by the abrupt movement.

She'd never hugged him before, had always been too afraid or uncomfortable with touch, and Hopper hesitantly wrapped his arms around her, squeezing gently, enjoying it while he can.

'Thank you, Dad', she whispered, rubbing her face against his shirt to try and get rid of the wetness coating her cheeks.

El froze when she felt him stiffen, the tears halting and panic clenching her stomach as she looked up and saw how white his face had gone, his expression staggered.

She stepped back, shaking her head, worried she'd upset him..

'I'm sorry....I didn't mean to...'

Hopper blinked away the shock as he saw the scared look on her face and felt his face soften. He hadn't thought he'd ever be called Dad again, not after losing Sarah, and to his surprise found he liked it, that it didn't hurt as much he thought it would.

He leant down, ignoring the way she flinched slightly for both their sakes, and pressed a scratchy kiss to her cheek.

'You're welcome, honey.'

The bright smile that spread across her cheeks, banishing the worry and panic in her eyes, made everything that had happened in the last year and a half, all the running and hiding and the difficulties of raising a hormonal and traumatised telekeinetic teenage girl all worth it.

It had been the best birthday present El could have asked for, she thought, as she walked out into the kitchen, a stupid grin on her face.

Better than a supercom, better than a thousand packet of Eggos, and the prettiest clothes in the world. She had gotten a Dad, a real one, for her birthday and she couldn't be happier.

El hadn't told the boys about her birthday, even though Hopper had encouraged her to, knowing they'd be upset for not knowing, but to her it didn't seem like a big deal. It never had been before. But she had made sure they all were going to meet up later at Will's so she could still spend the day with her favourite people.

She wandered out of her room, yawning, a blanket wrapped around a shoulder like a cape. Even though it was boiling hot most days now summer had come, El still felt cold most the time, a side effect of living inside a cold laboratory most her life.

She groaned when she spotted the red thermos Hopper had left for her on the counter, filled to the brim with steaming hot coffee, and the birthday card propped against it. Hopper had gotten her addicted to the stuff, and now she was a total grump without it in the mornings. She took a big sip, sighing happily as the warmth spread through her chest, caffeine reviving her, and read the birthday card quietly.

El spotted movement out of the corner of her eye and slowly set the thermos down, her heart skipping a beat as she realised someone was in the trailer.

She spun around towards the movement, her hands rising and pointing towards the intruder. Her power surged up and she barely caught it, snatching it back so quickly it made her stomach roll nauseously as she recognised the four familiar faces staring at her.

Her friends and boyfriend all jumped back, and looked at her hands warily, paling slightly.

'Holy shit', Lucas muttered shakily, and El quickly shoved her hands behind her back, her expression sheepish and slightly guilty.

Whoops, she thought, biting her lip.

That was way too close. She'd almost put them through the living room wall, and if that hadn't hurt them it definitely would've been hard to explain. To both them and Hopper.

The boys all gulped, having seen the way her eyes had darkened as her powers had surged through her, and glanced at each other nervously, all realising the same thing in that moment.

El was probably not the safest person to try and surprise, considering she could kill them with her mind.

'Happy Birthday', they all yelled, recovering from their shock, all grinning at her widely. They'd been waiting for her to wake for hours already, too excited to wait to surprise her with the trip.

El gaped at them, shocked.

'What? How did you guys...'

Will grinned at her, and stepped forward to pull her into a tight hug.

'I heard Mom talking to Hopper about it. You should have told us, El.'

Mike flicked her a searching look, raising an eyebrow at her as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to her cheek as a hello.

'Why didn't you tell us?'

El shrugged, nonchalantly, leaning into his touch.

'It's not a big deal. Just another a day.'

'Just...just another day? Not a big deal?', Dustin gasped, shaking his head dramatically, curls flopping all over the place, as he sent the others an exasperated look that was usually reserved for him, 'Birthdays are the best thing ever and to prove you wrong we have planned the most amazing birthday celebration ever. We're...'

'We're going camping. Hopper gave his permission the other day,' Will interrupted, grinning excitedly, ignoring the mock-hurt look Dustin sent him for stealing his thunder, too busy waiting for/focused on El's reaction.

She didn't disappoint.

El's eyes went wide, and her mouth dropped open, unable to believe it.

'Really?' she gasped, jumping up and down excitedly, as the others laughed at her.

Lucas snorted out a laugh at her reaction, and nudged her shoulder with his, rolling his eyes.

'Yes, really. As if we weren't going to make a big deal of you're birthday, moron. The car is all packed up, you just need to get your stuff together and we can head to the lake.'

El let out a loud squeal and turned to rush to her room, followed by their laughter. She came back a few moments later, a frown puckering her face.

'I don't know what to bring...'

'I'll help,' Dustin said eagerly, rushing towards El just as Mike was opening his mouth to volunteer.

He snapped his mouth shut, shooting Dustin a dark look, fuming silently. He'd wanted a few minutes alone with El, just the two of them so he could say a proper happy birthday before they left.

El glanced at Mike, seeing the annoyed expression on his face and understood exactly how he felt. She met his eyes and shrugged at him, as if to say 'what can you do?' but was annoyed as he was, though she kept her face carefully blank of it, not wanting to hurt Dustin's feelings.

Mike and her hadn't been able to keep their hands off each other for weeks. Every time they touched, either accidentally or purposefully, and whenever he looked at her, she felt like she was burning up, too warm, and all squirmy and heavy inside. All she wanted to do was kiss him but knew they couldn't with an audience.

'Later', she mouthed at him, anticipation rising in her at the thought. They'd find a way to be alone, even if only for a few minutes.

Mike nodded, eyes darkening, and struggled to calm the impatience pooling inside him, barely able to wait.

He turned back to the conversation going on around them, completely missing the amused and slightly embarrassed looks Will and Lucas exchanged, both feeling like they were witnessing something very private.

'Don't believe a word he says, El. He'll have you packing stuff you won't even need just for a laugh', Lucas told her, biting back a grin to hide he was teasing her.

El eyed Dustin warily as he put his hand on his heart, mock-offended.

'I would never. Maybe to you bunch of jerks, but not to my El. You're my favourite,' he told her in an over-loud whisper, 'Shush, don't tell the others.'

'Screw you, Dustin', Will laughed.

Mike just rolled his eyes, smiling, and Lucas playfully gave him the finger.

El giggled at their antics, clapping a hand over her mouth, before turning to walk back to her room, Dustin following behind.

Dustin came out again a few minutes later while El got dressed, and she came out not long after in a bright red t-shirt underneath a pair of denim overalls, her school bag bulging with clothes and toiletries hanging off her shoulder.

They all piled into the packed car, their bare legs and arms sticking to the hot leather seats and each other as they drove the hour to the lake. Will had borrowed Jonathan's old car and was in the driver's seat, Lucas in the front beside him, and El squished in between Dustin and Mike in the back.

They were lucky enough to find a secluded camping spot far away from all the other campers, and quickly got to work setting up. Dustin was in charge of the food, the only one of them who knew how to cook properly and he happily began to unpack all the snacks he'd bought with their pooled money. Lucas was in charge of the fire because he knew all sorts of tricks for lighting them quickly from his Dad and his time in Nam.

Mike and Will had been left to set up the tent and, as El watched, eyebrows raised, she could tell it wasn't going well. It was lopsided, the poles popping out in every direction, and she could see they were quickly getting frustrated.

She stood up from the spot they'd designated for her, refusing to let her help because she was the "birthday girl", and casually walked behind the tent, swiping the instruction they were ignoring as she went. She looked at the mess of poles and sighed, before reaching out with her powers and quickly popping the poles into their correct place, smiling as the tent stopped leaning and sat up-right.

El turned and jumped when she came face to face with Mike who was standing inches away, her heart skipping a beat.

Mike's insides twisted guilty at the fear in her eyes, and kept his face purposefully blank, hiding the wonder he felt at seeing her powers close-up.

She was amazing. Definitely better than a superhero, but he knew she would be upset if she thought he'd seen and didn't want that to happen.

'You scared me,' she whispered, rubbing at her chest where her heart had slammed hard against her ribs.

'Sorry', he whispered back, eyes soft before they narrowed playfully and he wrapped an arm around her waist, yanking her up against him.

El's surprised squeak was cut off as he kissed her deeply, a proper ravishing kiss that left her breathless and her head spinning dizzily. She moaned, kissing him back, and cupped her hand on the back of his neck, pulling him down towards her.

Mike pulled away sooner than she liked, and she let out an annoyed whine, trying to pull him back to her.

Mike smirked at her adorably dazed expression, absurdly proud of himself, and leant down to kiss her gently on the nose, the kiss so different to the one they'd shared only seconds before that she blinked at him.

'Happy birthday', he whispered, before turning and casually walking back around the tent, acting like nothing had happened.

El stumbled after him, shaking her head slightly, and the others, exchanging amused looks, tactfully pretended they hadn't seen anything. It was El's birthday after all.

When the tent was all done, Will and Mike boasting about their superior camping skills, to Lucas and El's shared amusement, rolling their eyes at each other, she crawled into the tent with their mattresses and set them out, placing their sleeping bags onto each of them. She, of course, placed hers next to Mike's.

She stepped out, wiping at the sweat that was dripping into her eyes, and stopped mid-step when she saw all four of them waiting for her with wrapped packages in their hands, grinning.

She just stared at them, stunned.

'You got me presents?'

She had known Hopper would buy her something because Joyce had told her parents always got their children a present for their birthday but she hadn't expected anything from them. The thought hadn't even occurred to her.

But it definitely had to the boys. They had spent hours debating about the perfect gifts. Only Mike had kept his idea a secret, too embarrassed to tell them, knowing they'd tease him unmercifully. But he'd chickened out of giving it to her at the last minute, worried that it was too soon and he'd look like an overeager loser, and had frantically driven to the shops early that morning to buy her something else.

'Of course we did,' Mike said, his face softening at the stunned surprise on her face as she sat down on the logs acting as chairs.

Dustin pushed forward eagerly, shoving a perfectly wrapped present into her hands.

'Open mine and Lucas's first.'

El ripped off the paper happily and pulled the lid of a box to reveal it was filled with piles of sweets she loved, as well as some she hadn't tried yet and, of course, a packet of Eggos.

El smiled brightly, and jumped up to hug them both.

'Thank you.'

Will stepped forward next and handed her a heavier square-shaped package. El smiled at him, and quickly unwrapped it. She gawked at the disposable camera inside, that had only come out that year, and then let out a small squeak, rushing forward to hug him.

'Thank you. This is so cool', she said, pulling the camera out of the box, and turning it around so she could look at it through all angles.

Will blushed, and rubbed at his neck, embarrassed by the attention as they all looked at it, amazed.

'You're welcome. Mom chucked in for it as well. I know you like looking at all our photos and now you can have some of your own to stick up in your room.'

El made them all stand together so she could take a photo right then and there, and they did, grinning and pulling faces at the camera, her happiness and excitement contagious.

The only present left was Mike's and he stepped forward, handing it to her with a crooked smile.

'Here, babe', he said, the endearment slipping out without him meaning it to, and they blinked at each other, colour rising to both their cheeks.

'Ooh, babe.' Lucas snickered, followed by the Dustin and Will, and Mike flushed.

'Shut up', he muttered to them before turning back to watch El open his present anxiously, desperately wanting her to like it.

El tore off the wrapping, and gawked at what she found inside, excitement filling her, as she lifted out the Princess Leia figurine, exactly like the figurines Mike had proudly displayed in his basement.

'So you can start collecting', Mike explained, chewing his lip nervously.

'I love it', El said, standing and throwing her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss to his flushed cheek, 'Thank you'.

Mike sagged in her arms, relieved, and kissed her head.

'You're welcome, babe', he whispered for only her to hear, smiling as she stepped back, her expression a little sheepish and turned back to their friends, who had made themselves busy while they had their moment.

They all quickly got changed into their swimming gear, El changing into a bright blue bikini in the privacy of the tent, before rushing down to the lake, laughing and hopping on the hot sand that burnt the soles of their feet.

El was a bit nervous about the water, still getting used to swimming in the quarry which she knew was safe, and only came in to her knees when they boys swore they wouldn't splash her or drag her under.

When she still hesitated, her face pale and eyes huge in her head, Mike swam closer, crouching beside her, his wet black hair falling into his eyes. He pushed it back impatiently, and gently took her hand before turning and gesturing at his back.

'Hop on, and I'll take you out there for a little while', he said, giving her an encouraging smile over his shoulder.

El tilted her head at him, before hesitantly wrapping her arms around his neck and lying her body against his.

Mike swallowed as he felt her breasts press up against his back, suddenly not sure he had thought this through properly, as he felt himself stiffening in his swimming trunks.

He silently cursed himself, forcing himself to ignore the persistent throbbing ache, and began to swim towards where the others were swimming, taking her out deeper into the water.

El sighed, relaxing against Mike's back as the water lapped at and cooled her over-heated body. She lay her head against his slick back, pressing a soft kiss to his skin, before closing her eyes as he started doing a few laps, knowing he'd keep her safe.

Mike closed his eyes for a second, feeling her relaxing against him, and was staggered by how much she trusted him. He didn't feel like he was worth it, that he was worthy of her, but he knew he would do anything for her, anything to keep her happy and safe. To just have her.

Lucas climbed out of the water and sneakily took a photo of El and Mike laughing quietly together while he pretended to get a drink of water, thinking it'd be a nice surprise for her to find when she got the photos printed off.

El hopped off Mike's back not long after that, knowing she was at her limit, and sat in the water instead, splashing her feet, and watching the others play and muck around, dunking each other, while a light pink sunburn slowly formed on her shoulders and face.

They walked back to camp as the sunset, their faces various shades of pink and red and skin all pruny, laughing loudly and joking. Dustin quickly cooked up some hot dogs which they ate ravenously, before Mike pulled out a container with chocolate cake inside covered in light pink icing that Karen had made for El as a surprise. They each had a huge slice, and lay around by the lit fire, full and exhausted.

Dustin suddenly lifted his head, grinning, before rolling over with a groan and rummaging through his bag.

'Look what I have', he said, pulling out a bottle of wine that gleamed in the firelight.

'Are you serious?' Will asked, eyes crinkling as he smiled and eagerly held out a cup for Dustin to fill.

'Where'd you get that?' Mike asked, eyes wide.

Dustin shrugged, filling four cups to the brim with the red liquid, sloshing it over the edge, before handing them out to everyone.

'My parents have heaps of them. They won't notice ones missing.'

El took hers cautiously, sniffing at the dark liquid the others were happily chugging down and took a small sip. She pulled a face at the tart taste but shrugged her shoulders and quickly drained it, wiping her mouth with her hand.

It didn't take long for the wine to kick in, and they all got a bit tipsy, lying on their backs and laughing hysterically at the littlest thing.

Will suggested they go for a late night walk, and they all staggered to their feet, eyes unfocused, except for El's who was giggling as she watched them swaying through the trees, her glass having been smaller than the rest.

They all walked down the gangplank, El peering over the edge at the dark water, anxiously and stepped closer to Mike who was laughing at Will and Lucas who were shoving each other playfully, shivering.

Will suddenly slipped in one of the puddles on the gangplank as Lucas pushed him and he fell backwards with a startled cry, knocking hard into El where she stood behind him. Her heart skipped a bit as her arms flailed, trying desperately to find anything to hold onto, to steady herself. But there was nothing, and her feet slipped over the edge. She hit the water hard, knocking the air of her lungs, before she sunk beneath the surface.

It closed over her head, water filling her mouth, ears and eyes as she stared into the darkness, and felt something snap inside her, the leash she'd been holding on her fear of the water all day slipping, all logical thoughts disappearing.

All she could see was the inside of the tanks, the darkness as the door closed around her, leaving her alone. Trapped.

El screamed, the sound muffled, the power in her voice causing the water to vibrate. Her arms and legs flailed, kicking desperately for the surface, her lungs burning. She broke through the surface, splashing desperately, eyes wild, gasping for breath. Her ears buzzed, unable to hear the frantic voices around her, as darkness began to creep in, her sight quickly fading.

'El!' Mike screamed, completely sober now as he scrambled to his knees on the gangplank, arms outstretched, trying frantically to reach her as she screamed, panic a living, breathing thing inside him.

'I've got her', Dustin said, knowing he was the only one strong enough to pull her in. He jumped in, heart racing, and swam to where El now floated limply, head seconds from slipping back under.

Dustin wrapped an arm around her waist, hauling her up and kicked towards the gang-plank, towing her behind him, breath coming hard.

Mike, Lucas and Will grabbed for her, lifting her gently on to the wooden floor, propping her up, panic running through them at her white face and closed eyes.

'El, are you okay?' Mike asked, voice cracking.

El suddenly jerked, pushing their hands away, scrambling forward as she coughed hard, water spurting from her mouth.

Dustin knelt beside them, water streaming from his hair, clothes heavy, clinging and dripping, gasping for breath as he stared at El, eyes wide. He slapped her on the back, trying to help her get it all out.

El began to dry-retch, stomach wringing painfully, raw and aching from all the water, but there was nothing more to come up. She swallowed, her throat feeling like she'd swallowed shards of glass instead of water, and tried to draw breath, her chest heaving, lungs screaming for air, but she couldn't remember how to breathe properly.

She clutched her throat, eyes filled with panic swinging to Mike's.

'El!' Mike cried out, turning to his friends, eyes wild with fear, unsure what to do, 'She can't breathe'.

'Push her head between her legs', Will said, voice shaking, as he knelt beside her, hand out but afraid to touch her, to make it worse.

'Slap her'.

'Not helping, Dustin,' Lucas snapped at him, but it had no force behind it, too focused on El, heart racing, feeling sick with guilt.

Mike gently pressed down on her head, pushing her head between her legs like Will suggested.

Will sobbed, tears running down his cheeks, devastation on his face.

'Oh, god, what did we do?' he said, repeating it over and over.

Lucas pulled at his hair as he stared down at a nearly catatonic El, rocking back and forth, her eyes frantic.

'I'm so sorry, El', Lucas said, looking at Mike, panic in his eyes.

Mike didn't hear any of it, too focused on El, horrified by the blue creeping into her lips.

'Damn it, El, breathe', he begged, voice sharp, trying to snap her out of it, 'Like this. In and out'.

He demonstrated, steadying his own too fast breathing, keeping it deep and even.

El's tried to focus on Mike's voice, barely able to hear him, the sound muffled over her own frantic heartbeat in her ears. She forced herself to try and copy his breathing, her breath shuddering for a few moments before it began to even out, still a little ragged but she gladly drew in the much-needed air as she stared into space, still lost in her own mind.

Mike slumped forward, pulling her shivering body closer to him, wetness seeping from her clothes to his, dampening them, but he didn't care, relief leaving him weak and exhausted.

He brushed at the hair that was plastered on her forehead, ducking his head to look into her eyes.

'El, talk to me. El, I need you to talk to me'.

El didn't respond, not showing any hint she'd heard him except for a slight twitch of her head. Her eyes were faraway and dull, still stuck in some nightmare he couldn't see.

'We've got to get her back to the camp. Get her warm and let her sleep it off', Dustin suggested, stepping forward and crouching down to pick her up.

Mike shook his head at him, scooping her up himself, wrapping an arm under her legs, the other under her shoulders and stumbled to his feet, walking quickly, the others followed behind in a tense, worried silence.

Mike glanced down at El repeatedly, who had pressed her face into his neck, her skin icy cold against his. He pressed his lips to her wet hair and walked faster, wanting, needing to get her warm.

When they reached the camp, Will raced in front of him to open up the tent, stepping back, his face pale. Mike ducked inside, followed silently by Dustin who grabbed a spare set of clothes to get changed into before quickly leaving, closing the tent behind him after giving Mike a tremulous smile, knowing without asking that he'd want privacy.

Mike set El down on her feet as she blinked at him slowly, wrapping her arms around her body, shivering uncontrollably, her eyes focusing slightly.

'Come on, let's get you warm', Mike whispered, reaching out carefully, not wanting to touch her and freak her out again. El nodded slightly, mechanically lifting her arms over her head and he quickly pulled her soaked singlet over her head and undid the buttons of her shorts, shimmying them down her legs.

He then averted his eyes, jerking his head towards her bag at the other side of the tent.

'I'll turn around while you get into dry underwear', he said, pointing behind him awkwardly, as she just looked at him, and he spun around, squeezing his eyes shut.

Mike listened to the rustle of clothes as El dressed slowly, and could just hear their friends murmuring outside the tent, Will's voice quietly explaining why she'd freaked out the way she had, about the tanks.

He hoped El didn't hear him. It'd only make it worse if she found out they knew now.

He felt a tap on his shoulder and jerked, startled, swinging around to see her in a new white bra and purple underwear. He gulped, swallowing hard, but nodded when she held out a pink hoody, silently asking for help, shaking too hard to dress herself.

Mike pulled her hoody over her head, and quickly grabbed a spare pair of pyjama shorts from his bag. He helped her step into them before pulling them up her legs, tying them extra tight to keep them from falling straight back down, desperately trying to ignore how smooth her legs felt under his fingers.

So not to the time, he scolded himself, as he began to rub her arms to get some warmth into her chilled skin.

El blinked, the nightmarish memories fading as she recognised Mike's touch, comforting and so gentle it brought tears to her eyes, guiding her back from being lost in the chaos of her mind.

She let out a long shuddering breath as the shivering stopped, the warmth of her borrowed clothes soaking into her and she reached up, grabbing Mike's hand, looking up into his face.

Mike's startled at her touch, and looked down to met her gaze, her eyes dark and wet, a trembling smile curving her lips.

His chin wobbled, and let out a quiet sob, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, squeezing tightly.

El's heart broke at the sight, and she hugged him back, hands shaking.

'I'm...sorry for scaring....you,' she said, her voice cracking.

Mike shook his head quickly.

'Don't...' he croaked out, 'It's not your fault. Are you alright?'

She shook her head, shuddering at the memory of the water rushing in around her, the darkness and silence filling her senses again.

'No...It...the water...'

'I know, I know,' he said softly, pressing his forehead to hers for a moment before kissing it hard, rubbing her back in comfortingly circles.

'Whatever they did...', he said, lips pressed to her temple, voice rough with emotion, fighting the urge to cry at seeing her like this, fragile and almost like she was broken.

His girl was too strong to be broken. And there was nothing fragile about her.

'Whatever they did to you, whoever they were, you're safe now. You survived, you beat them. They can't hurt you ever again. I won't let them', he swore, holding her closer.

'Do you promise?' she whispered, looking up at him, her eyes usually so warm and happy dulled with fear and unspeakable pain.

'I promise', Mike swore, gaze unflinching and steady on hers.

El buried her face in his chest, a single sob escaping, as she clutched the material at the back of his shirt.

In that moment she felt something click into place inside her, like a missing puzzle piece settling into place. Her mind went blank as realisation hit her, as she finally had a word for what she had been feeling, what had been building within her, since the day she had met Mike.

Oh, she thought, stunned, her breath coming out in a slight hiss.

She was in love with Mike.

A pleasant warmth settled into her chest at the thought, a warmth so similar to what she felt when she used her powers, but somehow a hundred times bigger and better. It left her skin feeling too-tight, as if she was seconds from bursting from it, and light, so light she felt she'd float away.

She had fallen so hard and so fast she hadn't recognised it, the realisation leaving her head spinning dizzily.

Mike slowly and carefully lowered them to his mattress, completely oblivious to the stunned blur of El's thoughts in that moment, and curled his body around hers, his arm wrapped around her waist.

El snuggled in, her head pressed to his chest, listening to the comforting, steady beat of his heart, sighing, every muscle in her body relaxing as he traced patterns on the skin of her back under her hoody.

She couldn't tell him now. Not after she'd just had a panic attack, and all the nightmares of the past were weighing on both of them.

Later, she promised herself and, though he didn't know it yet, him too.

They heard the hiss of a zipper and looked up as Will popped his head through the gap he'd made in the doorway.

'Can we come in?'

'Yeah,' Mike told them, clearing his throat, but didn't move an inch, continuing to trace comforting patterns on her skin.

He didn't care if their friends saw them like this, something that would usually leave him blushing, embarassed.

His girl needed him, and nothing else mattered in that moment.

The boys all climbed in, laying down on their inflatable mattresses silently, faces drawn, staring at the top of the tent.

There was a rustle after a long few moments as someone shifted and a voice broke the tense silence.

'We're so sorry, El', Lucas said, leaning over them, eyes dark with worry, looking at her red rimmed eyes and tear-stained face.

Dustin peered over Lucas's shoulder, his chin wobbling slightly as he watched and Will squeezed her leg from the other side of Mike.

'It's okay, I'm okay..' she croaked out, throat sore, smiling weakly, trying to reassure them.

They all lay down together, the only sounds their breaths, all of them touching in one way or another.

The boys all squirmed slightly, pulling faces, trying not to disturb El, but unable to get comfortable.

'Well, this is...cosy', Dustin suddenly blurted out, wincing as Lucas accidentally elbowed him in the ribs.

El burst into surprised laughter at the absurdity of the comment in that moment, some of the heaviness lifting, and the others followed suit, laughing until their chests ached and tears ran down their cheeks.

It puttered out after a while with only a few giggles and snorts from everyone before they all began to drift off, emotionally and physically exhausted from the events of the day. El had never felt safer than she did right then squished between all her boys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did everyone think? As always let me know- K x


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! So I've never written anything like this before, and am so nervous posting it lol I really REALLY hope you like it. Please be kind- not that you're ever not! By the way, enjoy ;)- K x

_El rolled over in her bed restlessly, stomach dropping as she suddenly tipped over the edge and landed on her knees on the floor, the impact jolting her bones. She groaned softly, sitting back without opening her eyes and rubbed at her stinging knees, knowing she'd have a scrape in the morning._

_An icy cold draft blew against the back of her neck and El stiffened, her eyes snapping opening and heart slamming once, twice, against her ribs before it began to race in her chest._

_She scrambled to her feet, shaking, and spun in a circle, her breath shuddering out, rising in a wispy cloud in front of her at what she saw._

_It's not possible, she thought. I can't be here._

_The Upside Down. She was back in the Upside Down.._

_El whirled around in the freezing darkness, squeezing her eyes shut before opening them, trying desperately to wake up, because it had to be a dream, right? It just had to be._

_But she didn't wake up, no matter how many times she pinched herself, or how hard she dug her nails into the tender skin of her palms._

_The spores floating in the air filled her lungs as she gasped, breathing too fast, unable to focus, unable to understand what was happening to her._

_How had this happened? She'd gone to sleep in the trailer, just like normal._

_How could she have woken up back here?_

_Here was a perfect carbon-copy of her room in Hopper's trailer, except it was empty, devoid of all light and warmth, with a heavy fog hovering over the floor. She stared at the walls and furniture that seemed to be bleached of all colour, horrified by the pulsating root like trendils that climbed the walls and covered the roof. They hung over her head, seeming to reach for her, wanting to grab her and pull her away._

_Her photographs seemed to have curled up into themselves, hanging limp and faded on her walls, the happy faces of her friends and family now suddenly cold and accusing._

_'Dad', she called out, her voice barely a whisper, fear choking it off in her throat._

_Her voice echoed in the emptiness, and she felt tears prick her eyes._

_This can't be happening._

_She spun towards the door, and cautiously began to inch towards it, straining to hear over the pounding of her own heart in her ears, listening for any breathing and looking out for any moving shadows, knowing from her year in the Upside Down that the Demogorgon wasn't the only creature that called this dimension home._

_The sticky slime that covered the floor clung to her feet as she walked, halting her in place, sucking her back into the room._

_'Dad', she cried, her voice louder and frantic._

_There was nothing but silence._

_Not real, not real, she told herself, squeezing her eyes shut._

_It can't be real._

_Something shifted behind her, the rustle of clothing making her freeze, her whole body going rigid._

_'There you are, Eleven. I've found you', a voice hissed from the shadows, so cold and familiar it sent shivers down her skin._

_Brenner. It was Brenner._

_Harsh fingers clamped around her ankles, digging into her flesh painfully all the way to the bone as she cried out in pain, before they yanked. El teetered forward and fell hard to the floor, smacking her head against the ground with a pained yell, spots dancing in front of her eyes, her head throbbing sharply._

_'Don't worry. We'll be home soon,' he crooned at her, before beginning to drag her down the hall and out the trailer, away from the safety of her home and into the darkness beyond._

_'No, no!' she screamed, reaching in front of her, trying desperately to grab something, anything, to pull herself away. There was nothing. Her fingers uselessly dug into the slime, leaving behind trails as Brenner dragging her away._

_'Mike! Mike! Help me, please' she cried, but he wasn't there, he couldn't help her._

_No-one could._

_She squeezed her eyes shut and let out a ear-splitting scream that seemed to shake the Upside Down itself._

El bolted upright, her breath shuddering out as her wide, frantic eyes darted around the room, searching the shadows, seeing Brenner in every shift of the shadows cast on her wall by the trees outside her window, moving in the breeze.

The light from her nightlight, which Hopper had given her to help with her nightmares and she wasn't too proud or ashamed to use, shone brightly like a beacon, illuminating every corner of the room. She took in her light pink walls, the stuffed animals piled in the corner, the photographs that were still crisp and bright, the faces of her family and friends in them once again smiling cheerfully at her.

Her hair was plastered to her head, drying coolly on her too warm forehead as she panted loudly in the quiet of the early morning.

She lifted trembling arms and wrapped them around her middle, leaning her head against her knees, and took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.

The room was no longer cold, no longer empty, no sign of any monsters, or tentacle like limbs clinging to the walls. And there was no Brenner.

It wasn't real, she told herself, rocking slightly. It was just a dream.

She had never been in the Upside Down. She was home and she was safe. Nothing could get her here.

The ringing in her ears slowly receded and she felt her heart slowing as the familiar, comforting sound of Hopper snoring drifted in through the slightly open door. She let out a relieved sigh, pushing back her hair, which had gotten longer in the last few months and now brushed her shoulders, and wiping at her wet eyes with the other, dashing at the tears spilling down her cheeks.

It had felt so real. So real she was barely resisting the urge to look down at her ankles, half-certain she would find bruises from Brenner's fingers circling them.

El shuddered at the thought, shaking her head, and scooted off the bed, getting shakily to her feet. She glanced down at her body, pretending she wasn't looking for any sign of the Upside Down on her, and was surprised to realise she was still in the dress she'd been wearing the day before.

El thought back and had a vague recollection of falling asleep on the couch while watching a show with Hopper, and then drifting into consciousness as he'd lifted her up with a groan and carried her to her bed, tucking the sheets around her, with a gentle 'Goodnight, kiddo.'

As the thought her Dad she rushed to the door, not wanting to be alone. She wanted, no needed, someone to reassure her that it was okay, she was safe and nothing was going to happen to her.

She hesitated, however, when she reached the door of her room, her hand hovering over the handle, as she something occurred to her.

She didn't want her Dad to comfort her, though she knew he would be awake and up with her in an instant if he knew she was upset.

No. She wanted, needed, only one person.

She needed Mike.

El slowly closed her door and rummaged around in the dark until she found her sneakers, quicky slipping them on her feet before walking to her slightly open window.

She flinched when the frame squealed loudly as she pushed the window further open, glancing behind her nervously, holding her breath.

Hopper's snores didn't even falter and she quickly boosted herself up and out the window, and expertly snuck out.

It was ironic, she thought as she began the long walk into town, the humid air warming her chilled skin, the gravel of their drive crunching beneath her feet.

For being the daughter of the Sheriff, it was absurdly easy to sneak out.

There nothing but silence and the chirps of crickets as she walked the long five miles into town, lost in her chaotic thoughts, barely noticing the darkness around her, too early for cars, not even streetlights around to guide her way.

She didn't need them. She wasn't afraid of the dark. Why would she be? She'd lived in it for most of her life, and for the four months she called the Upside Down home. She'd already faced the worst monsters there were, both human and dimensional.

El's head snapped up as she noticed a familiar v-shaped crack in the pavement beneath her feet, her mind again focusing on her surroundings, and was surprised to find herself on Maple Street, standing in front of Mike's house.

She looked up at the dark house, not a single light shining in the windows, and cursed under her breath, using one Dustin had taught her only a few weeks ago.

She hadn't even thought to check the time, and looked up at the night sky which was still pitch-black, the stars winking brightly at her, no sign of dawn in sight. She glanced down at her watch, squinting and straining to see what the arms were pointing at.

3.25.

'Shit', she groaned, pulling at the ends of her hair in frustration, before glancing around uneasily, trying to see if anyone was peeking at her out of their windows.

She knew the basement would be unlocked as Mike forgot to lock it most the time, but she didn't want to risk using the stairs and waking his parents. They'd both be screwed then.

That left only one choice.

She walked closer to the house, so close her nose almost brushed the wood of it, and took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She reached deep for her powers, pulling it up and focusing it on herself, imagining herself as light as a feather.

She gasped slightly as a warmth spread her entire body, her insides quivering as her feet lifted from the grass below, floating an inch above it. She opened her eyes slowly, and stared around her, amazed, as she flew upwards along the side of the house. She quickly pulled her powers back when her feet brushed the top of the roof across from Mike's bedroom window, not wanting to float off into the sky, which could probably happen if she didn't control her powers. Her heart skipped a beat as she dropped onto the roof, and she let out a breath, grinning.

That was so cool, she thought, giddiness rising in her.

She quietly made her way along the roof tiles, careful not to slip or fall, not knowing how'd she explain what she was doing on the roof if _that_ happened. When she reached Mike's window she tapped lightly on the glass, repeating every few minutes until she heard an annoyed groan and the rustle of sheets being pushed back.

The blinds were pulled up, and a bleary-eyed, grumpy Mike stood in the window, his hair sticking up messily in all directions, wearing a white singlet and Darth Vader boxers in the hot night air.

Mike blinked at her, lips pursing in a frown, not really knowing what he was seeing.

When she smiled at him, and tapped on the window again right near his face, he jumped, eyes widening.

Shit! Mike thought, staring at her through the thin glass, stunned.

He'd seriously thought he was dreaming. But no, she was standing there, standing at his window at....he glanced at his clock, and frowned, confused, at what he read.

3.32.

What is she doing here? he thought worriedly. Something had to be wrong.

He quickly pushed his window up, sticking his head out the window and staring down at the drop below, stunned.

'El, what are you doing here this early? Wait, how the hell did you get up here?' he asked, stepping back to let her in, glancing nervously at his door, afraid his parents would wake up and catch them.

El ignored the question, pretending not to hear, and ducked into the room, glancing around with interest, never having been in his room before and stumbled slightly as her foot caught on the edge of the frame while she was distracted.

Mike flushed, shaking his head as he realised how stupid his question was. He knew _exactly_ how she'd gotten up there.

'Right, stupid question', he muttered to himself, catching her elbow to steady her.

They both looked at each other silently for a long moment, her pale and trembling, him studying her face intently, eyes crinkling as he squinted, concerned.

'Are you okay?'

El's chin wobbled at the question, the echoing fear from the nightmare she'd been holding back rushing to the forefront of her mind and she threw herself into his arms, burying her head into his chest.

'Whoa. Hey, hey, you okay? What's wrong?' Mike cupped the back of her head, curling his fingers into her hair, eyes wide with worry. He rubbed at her back with the other hand, pressing a kiss to her head.

El shook her head, feeling foolish now that she wasn't alone and refused to lift her head.

'I...I just needed to see you.'

Mike nodded, resting his head on top of hers.

'Okay,' he said, simply, as if it was a perfectly reasonable explanation for coming and waking him at three in the morning.

And, El thought, relaxing completely against him, her love for him almost overwhelming her as the residual fear drained away in his presence, to him it was.

'Sorry, I woke you', she said, finally looking up, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, forcing herself to meet his eyes.

Mike shook his head, shrugging his shoulders as he smiled crookedly at her

'Don't be. Whenever you need me I'm here. No matter what'.

El looked up at him and felt her heart clench and boosted herself up, brushing her lips eagerly against his.

Mike blinked, surprised by the abrupt movement, but kissed her back enthusiastically, lifting her off her feet.

There was something new about this kiss, a urgency he knew hadn't been there before now.

El pulled back after a few minutes, lungs burning for air, her lips swollen and wet, and Mike lowered her back to her feet gently, dark eyes searching hers questioningly. She just looked at him for a minute, breathing heavily as she stared up into his dark eyes that were so focused on hers, looking at her like she was the most important thing in the world, and she suddenly just knew.

She reached down and pulled her green dress over her head, dropping it unceremoniously to the floor, leaving her in nothing but her bra and underwear. She met his stunned eyes, unembarrassed and sure.

Mike's mind seemed to completely stop, silence filling it, as he gaped at her, at the expanse of skin she had revealed that seemed to glow in the moonlight slanting through his blinds. He swallowed, throat dry, and heart racing in his chest, and lifted nervous eyes to hers as he realised what she was asking, what she wanted.

'Are...are you sure?'

El nodded.

'I'm sure, Mike. Kiss me, please', she said, reaching up to curve her hand around the back of his neck, and stood on the tips of her toes to press her lips to his again.

Mike held her back gently with a hand to her shoulder, eyes searching hers, as he brushed her hair back with a gentle tenderness that made her eyes water. She blinked back the tears, smiling with trembling lips at him.

Mike's jaw suddenly tightened as he seemed to find whatever he'd been looking for in her eyes and he leant down, slamming his mouth against hers.

El groaned, her fingers curling into the hair at the back of his head and kissed him back, mouths moving ravenously over each others, a mutual hunger rising in both of them.

Mike pulled his mouth from hers and pressed wet kisses up her neck. El arched her neck back, giving him more access and sighed when he nibbled at her ear.

El ran her hands up his arms and over his shoulders, fingers digging into the muscles there, her touch leaving behind blazes of heat on his skin. Mike's hand cupped her bottom through her underwear, pulling her closer to him, and ground his hips against hers, groaning loudly as he felt his cock beginning to harden in his boxers.

She clenched her thighs together, feeling suddenly wet between her legs, where an incessant throbbing had started. Their breathing was loud in the quiet room as a frantic need filled her and she tugged insistently at the bottom of his singlet.

'Hurry', she whispered, panting.

Mike quickly helped her pull it over his head, throwing it across the room, and caught her chin, pulling her face back to his for another desperate kiss, feeling like he couldn't get close enough to her.

El moved her hands from his shoulders, trailing her fingers downwards along his chest, touch feather light and leaving goose bumps rising in their wake. Her fingers dipped under the waistband of his boxers, before she paused, looking up at him questioningly, biting her lip.

He swallowed, throat dry like he hadn't had a drop of water in a week, and quickly pushed his boxers down, kicking them away, eyes determinedly fixed over her shoulder. He stood in front of her, feeling horribly self-conscious, his dick bobbing slightly.

She stared down at him, eyes wide and mouth slightly open, and Mike flushed as he felt his cock twitch at the attention, overly sensitive to her gaze. He gulped as El reached out slowly and wrapped her fingers around him.

El ran her thumb over his length, fascinated by how silky soft his skin was there and how hard he felt in her hand, and squeezed experimentally, her grip tightening slightly as he jumped in her hand. She began to move her hand up and down, flicking her eyes up to Mike's to make sure she was doing to it properly, wanting to see his reaction.

Mike bit his lip hard, closing his eyes and holding back an embarrassing whimper as her small hand moved over him, a heavy burning pressure building inside his stomach, sharpening with every jerk of her fingers.

It was the best thing he'd ever felt in life. No question.

As he felt the pressure beginning to intensify, almost on the precipice of exploding through him, Mike hurriedly pulled her hand off him.

'Stop,' he gasped, trying desperately not to cum then and there, clenching his fists.

He took a deep, shuddering breath, fighting for control, and sighed, relieved, when the pleasure began to recede slightly, leaving behind an incessant throbbing.

El stared at him, eyes wide, worried she'd hurt him somehow.

'Did I do something wrong?'

Mike's eyes popped open and he shook his head frantically, tugging her closer and kissing the back of her hand, giving her a sheepish smile.

'No, I was...uh...I definitely liked it, but if you kept going we wouldn't be able to do anything else. Not for a while anyways.'

El nodded, though she wasn't sure she entirely understood, licking her lips as she saw his eyes dip down to her bra clad breasts.

She chewed on her lip and reached behind her, eyes direct on his, and undid her bra, the straps falling off her shoulders, down her arms and onto the floor.

Mike looked at her reverently, reaching up and cupping her small breasts in his hands, squeezing gently.

'Wow, you're beautiful', he breathed, brushing his thumb over her dusky nipple, rolling it.

El's swallowed, throat tightening at the worship in his eyes and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck and boosting herself up, curling her legs around his naked waist, his cock brushing up against her. Mike cupped her butt in his hands, squeezing firmly, loving the feeling of her naked breasts pressing into his chest, and began to stumble backwards to his bed, kissing, jolting as his knees hit the edge and they both tumbled onto it.

They stared at each other before bursting out laughing, shushing each other quickly, El sprawled over Mike, their arms and legs impossibly tangled together.

Nerves came alive and fluttered in Mike's stomach as they unravelled themselves and he crawled over her, unable to understand how El didn't seem worried at all, looking up at him, face relaxed, a smile curving her lips.

And El wasn't. She wasn't afraid, or even really nervous. Not with Mike. She wanted and trusted him too much to be afraid. She knew deep inside her that he'd never hurt her.

He ran a fingertip along the lacy edge of her underwear, and looked up at her questioningly, asking her permission. El nodded, and leant back on her elbows to watch, licking her suddenly dry lips.

Mike looped a single finger in the band and tugged her underwear down her long, smooth legs, revealing the triangle of curls between them, and groaned as he looked at her.

El's face flushed bright red, embarrassment filling her at the thought of him looking at her there and almost reached down to cover herself when Mike's dark eyes flicked to hers, and she felt herself relax, the heat in them quickly banishing her embarrassment, leaving her feeling...oddly powerful.

He ran a finger through her folds, and moaned as his fingers came away slick, her body already wet for him. He moved his fingers downwards and slowly, careful to be gentle, not wanting to hurt her, slipped a finger inside her. Her tight, hot muscles clenched around him at the invasion, and he waited patiently until she relaxed before he moved his finger experimentally, curling it up inside her.

El gasped, shifting restlessly and clenching around the fingers inside her, her breath coming in quick bursts as she dug her fingers into the sheets underneath her.

The sounds she made, the breathy sighs and squeals made Mike's cock harden and thicken even more against his thigh, and he shifted his hips restlessly against the mattress below him. He frowned, biting his lip in concentration and brushed his thumb against a small button he found at the top of her folds, one he remembered reading about in Nancy's magazines he and his friends had stolen and read, curious in a way only thirteen year old boys can be.

He smirked proudly when El's eyes suddenly shot open and she cried out in surprise.

'W-what?' she gasped, fighting to close her legs, the spot he was rubbing between her legs throbbing, something wondrous and frightening coiling inside her, putting her on the edge of something she didn't understand.

'Mike,' she gasped out, unsure of what was happening to her.

Mike shushed her, kissing her hipbone.

'You'll like it. Trust me', he said, reassuringly, holding her legs open as he kept rubbing the spot in a windscreen wiper motion.

El threw her head back against the pillows, clutching at his arms frantically, unable to stop the sensations spiralling through her, and dug her feet into the mattress, riding out the wave until it slowly petered out, leaving behind a swollen throbbing between her legs.

Mike caressed her thigh as she sighed, muscles almost melting into the mattress, puffing, her eyes stunned.

'What was that?' she asked him, turning wide eyes to his.

Mike grinned at her, and leant down to kiss her nose and then her mouth.

'That good, huh?'

El grinned back, giggling, slapping a hand to her mouth.

'You have no idea.'

Mike laughed, before pressing kisses over her small chest, sucking her nipple into his mouth for a second, enjoying her sharp in-take of breath, before pulling back and kissing his way down her stomach. He stopped just below her belly button, breathing hard, not sure where to go from there.

He glanced up at her, heart pounding in his chest, his eyes meeting her eyes as she craned her head up, peering down at him.

She shuddered out a breath at the dark, hungry look in his eyes and yanked him up by his arms, kissing him fiercely.

'Now...please now...' she begged, and he nodded, swallowing hard, nerves filling him again as he angled his body over hers, every part of them touching.

He reached over and pulled open a drawer in his desk, taking out the box of condoms they'd handed out to all the boys in health class before school ended, and shakily took out a small square package. He sat back to quickly pull it on, before lying back over her El who had been watching curiously.

El's insides quivered as she felt the weight of Mike's ribs against hers as he lay between her thighs, the thought of what they were about to do making her heart race. She let out a breathy sigh when she felt his own heart pounding against her chest as well, somehow soothed to know he was as nervous as she was.

'You ready?' he asked softly, wanting her to be completely sure.

El nodded, her face flushed and glowing. Her eyes were direct and soft, dark with hunger and nerves and so much trust in him it made his throat burn.

His blunt head bumped against her folds, brushing at her entrance, and she jumped at the feeling, surprised by how big he seemed so close to her. He pushed forward, slipping inside her slowly, so painstakingly slow until he was in to the hilt.

Mike groaned loudly at the sensation of her closing around him, so tight and wet, squeezing him hard, forgetting to be quiet.  
El tensed at the pinching pain she hadn't expected, hissing out a breath. There was a full, burning sensation deep inside her where he now was, and it left her breathless, her flushed chest heaving.

Mike stopped, squeezing his eyes shut, every muscle trembling and straining, his jaw clenching so hard it ached as he resisted the urge to mindlessly thrust into her, giving her the chance to adjust. His heart beat so fast he thought it'd explode as he moaned at the tight, wet heat clenching around him.

The pain slowly receded, leaving behind a slight burning that El barely noticed, too focused on the distracting and insistent warmth that had filled her belly and pulsed between her legs like before.

She reached up and brushed back the hair clinging to his face with sweat and hanging in his eyes, craning up to catch his mouth with hers.

'It's okay, you can move', she told him, running her hands down his back, arching upwards, rolling her hips towards him impatiently, chasing the feeling he'd given her earlier, desperate to feel it again.

Mike let out a breath he'd been holding and slowly began to move, their rhythm imperfect and jerky for the first few strokes before it slowly began to smooth out. El moved her hips up to meet his after a few moments, her breath hitching, mouth falling open.

He came up onto his elbows and grabbed at her hands, his fingers slipping between hers, clinging as he thrust into her.

'Oh,' she whimpered as the strange warmth from before spread through her belly, Mike's pubic bone rubbing a spot that sent interesting sparks of sensation through her.

'El', Mike panted, sweat forming on his forehead and down his back. He leant down to press frantic kisses across her face, as the burning in his stomach became a wildfire spreading downwards to where they were joined.

She tightened around him, every muscles tensing, letting out a keening cry.

Mike cried out as she fluttered around him, and slammed into her, forgetting to be gentle. He bit his lip hard, trying desperately to slow down, opening the eyes he'd shut to make sure she was alright.

But El didn't care, crying out at the sparks of sensation still rolling through her as he moved inside her, wrapping her legs around his hips.

Ecstasy burst from where they were joined, spreading outwards all the way to her fingertips until she thought she would combust from it.

She cried out, and Mike silenced it with his lips, moaning himself as her muscles squeezed him. The wildfire building inside him spiked, reaching a flashpoint, and he choked out an almost painful groan, smothering it in her neck, sucking hard and leaving behind a dark bruise. The pleasure finally crashed through him and he spilled inside her with a choked guttural groan.

Every muscle in his body tensed, holding himself up with trembling arms before they gave out and he slumped onto of her, gasping. Both their throats burned for air, hearts pounding against each other's chest, as they gaped at each other, chests heaving, sweat soaking their bodies.

Mike rolled off El quickly, worried about crushing her, and sat up, removing the condom, tying it off and disposing of it in the waste basket next to his bed.

'Wait a minute', he puffed and got to his feet, stumbling dizzily, light-headed for a moment, before he straightened and snuck out into the hall.

El blinked after him, sitting up gingerly, her muscles feeling like jello, a slight burning between her legs making her fidget, trying too ease it. Mike ducked back into the room, closing the door behind him and sat down beside her, handing her a damp cloth.

El frowned, looking down at it and then at Mike, not understanding.

'It's for...so you can clean up', he explained, blood rushing to his cheeks, which was ridiculous considering what they'd just done together.

Oh', El said, and turned away from him, not wanting him to watch and wiped gingerly between her legs. She hissed at the slight sting, before setting the wet cloth on his desk and swivelling back around to face him.

She smiled at him, eyes bright and a little stunned. Mike grinned back at her, eyes softening at how beautiful she looked, her brown hair a messy halo, lips swollen and red.

'That was...'

Mike threw himself back on the mattress, tugging her down with him and wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. El cuddled into his side, resting her head on his shoulder with a happy sigh.

'I know,' he finished, trailing his fingers along her spine. He pulled his quilt over the two of them as she shivered, her body cooling, their legs tangling together underneath.

Their eyes met and El reached up to trace his face, running a finger down his nose and along his cheekbone, a cheeky grin curving her lips.

'Let's do it again.'

Mike stared at her eager expression, eyes bright and teasing, before he threw his head back, laughing so loudly El slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle the noise, giggling quietly.

God, I love you.

The thought popped into his mind so abruptly he almost said them aloud, the words on the tip of his tongue. Mike froze as the words actually registered and quickly pressed his lips together, holding them in, his heart beginning to pound in his chest.

Holy shit, he was in love with El!

Nerves stirred back to life inside him, his throat drying, and he stiffened, mind racing.

When the hell did this happen? How did it happen so quickly? Oh, god, he was so screwed.

El snuggled in closer to him, blissfully unaware of his racing thoughts. Her eyelashes fluttered down as she yawned sleepily, content in his arms.

Mike felt his whole body soften as he looked at her, her hair sticking up everywhere, cheeks rosy and flushed, completely trusting and comfortable with him, and felt the nerves begin to fade away.

Of course he was in love with her. How could he not be? She was amazing, so kind and loyal, selfless and brave, and so beautiful it made his heart ache to look at her sometimes. You'd have to be some sort of imbecile to meet her and not fall in love with her.

And Mike Wheeler was definitely no imbecile.

If he was being completely honest with himself, Mike knew he'd been falling for her for a long time, since the night she'd shown up on his doorstep in her pyjamas and asked him to get a milkshake with her.

El opened her eyes, feeling him stiffen against her, and looked up at him, frowning sleepily at the shock he couldn't quite from his eyes.

'What's wrong? Are you okay?'

Mike relaxed, tightening his arms around her, and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

Yes, he wanted to tell her, I've never been more okay in my life. But he couldn't. Not yet. Not until he was sure she loved him back.

'Never better,' he said, instead of the three words he really wanted to say.

She smiled sleepily at him, laying her head back down, and closing her eyes.

'Good.'

Mike grinned at her, before closing his eyes as well, both of them drifting off within minutes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did everyone think? As always let me know x


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!! This is the shortest chapter I've ever posted, I swear, but it didn't really work as the start of the next one so here it is. I'm sorry its so short and about....other things...lol but I swear the next ones way longer. But I really hope you like it and I might post another one later tonight. Enjoy x- K

El climbed through her bedroom window a few hours after dawn, a grin she hadn't been able to keep of her face since she'd woken creasing her cheeks so hard they ached. 

Last night had been...completely amazing. Beyond anything she'd ever imagined or thought was possible. Sex was definitely something she was going to do again. 

A lot. 

She put her feet on the bare floor and jumped inside, landing quietly. She bit her lip as she felt a painful twinge deep inside her, where he'd been only hours before. She had ached the whole walk home, but it was a good ache, one that reminded her of what they'd just done. Of what they had shared together. 

She giggled as she stood in her small bedroom, unable to remember ever being this happy in her entire life, and spun in dizzying circles, closing her eyes. She stopped only when she got too dizzy, and almost ran into her bed, and steadied herself with a laugh, shaking her head. 

When the dizziness faded she pulled her now rumpled dress over her head and chucked it in her laundry basket. She paused when she caught her reflection in her dresser mirror and walked closer, studying her face curiously, taking in her flushed cheeks, bright eyes and dark, messy hair.

Huh. She didn't look any different. How could that be? How could she look exactly the same when she felt so different, so...new. Like she had been reborn, and could do anything, be anything, be anyone. 

She brushed her fingers along the bruise Mike had left on her neck, and her smile softened. She knew she should be mad at him for leaving such an obvious mark on her, one that she'd have to cover so they both didn't get grounded for life and Mike didn't get shot by Hopper, but she just couldn't bring herself to feel anything but ecstatically happy. 

She had woken up that morning, wrapped up so tightly in Mike's arms that she just wanted to stay there and drift off again, despite the risk of getting caught. She hadn't wanted to leave, had wanted to stay in his arms, all warm and safe and protected. She knew in that moment that she wanted to start everyday like that, just waking up with him beside her. 

Maybe one day, she thought wistfully, pulling a pair of soft grey shorts and a navy blue shirt on, before running a comb through her hair. 

She paused mid-brush stroke when she heard Hopper's voice coming from the kitchen, talking to someone on the phone. She frowned, surprised he was up so early on his day off. 

Oh, shit, she thought, swallowing hard, biting her lip, as paranoia filled her. What if he knew? What if he knew she'd been with Mike all night and he was calling Karen right now to tell on them? Oh, they were so screwed. 

El tip-toed quietly to the door, avoiding the squeaking floorboard and slowly opened the door, pressing her ear to the opening, straining to hear what was being said. 

She could just make out Hopper standing slumped against the counter, rubbing at his forehead with two fingers, voice dejected and tired. 

'...I don't know what to tell her, Joyce. I don't want to bring it all back, to remind her of everything that happened. She's finally so happy. How am I supposed to tell her that Brenner escaped the facility and might be coming for her? Do you think you could come and...'

El stopped breathing, her heart stuttering in her chest as she closed the door, taking stumbling steps away, her hand pressed to her mouth to drown out the terrified cry that almost slipped out.

Brenner's escaped, she thought, feeling like she was going to vomit, all the joy and happiness she'd felt from last night completely gone, replaced with a crippling fear. 

He knew where she was. He was coming for her. And she knew he'd do anything to get her back, hurt anyone who got in his way. 

That couldn't happen. She couldn't let him hurt them. 

Eleven turned and rushed to grab her school bag where it sat at the bottom of her bed, quickly opening her drawers and shoving in as many as clothes she could as her hands shook, ears buzzing and her mind racing frantically. 

She had to leave, she had to go now, she had to keep them safe. Even if it meant she never saw them again, never saw Mi...

El couldn't even think his name, pain so sharp it left her breathless lancing through her at the thought of what she was about to do, what she had to do to keep him safe. 

She curled in on herself, clutching her elbows as hot tears spilled down her cheeks, sight blurring as she sobbed. 

She pressed her hand to her mouth to smother the noise, and took a deep, shuddering breath before straightening, wiping at her wet cheeks and runny nose emotionlessly. She grabbed a small blanket that was thrown over the end of her bed and stuffed it in her bag before taking down photos that were stuck up on her wall, photos from her birthday and from the Spring Fling that Karen had given her, tucking them gently inside the front pocket. 

El stared at the photo of her and Mike the night of the Spring Fling where they'd been smiling at each other before they'd left for the night that had changed everything, her chin wobbling. 

She ruthlessly pushed the emotions away, mentally slamming a wall down and locking them away. She couldn't afford to feel anything, because she knew she'd change her mind if she thought of the family she was leaving behind forever.

She grabbed some money from her bedside table she had saved from doing chores for both Hopper and Joyce, and counted it, nodding her head. 

Thirty-five dollars. Not much but it would have to do. 

El shrugged the heavy bag over her shoulder, and quickly climbed back through the window, feeling cold and empty inside with every step she took away from the only real home she'd ever known. 

She walked into the woods, not looking back, knowing if she did she wouldn't be able to keep going. She wouldn't be strong enough. 

She determinedly stared at the ground in front of her, putting one foot in front of the other, eyes blank and red-rimmed, and just kept walking, until there was nothing but the trees and an empty silence that echoed the one in her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did everyone think! Please don't yell at me lol. Can't wait to read your reviews!- K


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! So I felt so bad about the last chapter (so much angst!!!) that I thought I'd be nice and post the next chapter early. Hope you like it x- K

Mike glanced up for what felt like the hundredth time in the last hour as he heard the front door open, completely forgetting the card game he was playing with Dustin and Lucas, ears straining to hear who was at the door.

When the basement door stayed firmly closed, no sign of anyone coming down any time soon, he sighed heavily and threw out a random card, not taking notice of what it was.

Where was she? he thought, worriedly, rubbing at his aching neck where a knot was building from looking up every time the phone rang or he thought he heard the door open. It was already 1. She should've been there hours ago.

You're being ridiculous, he silently tried to convince himself, although it wasn't really working. She probably just got caught with Hopper or something else like that. She'll be here soon.

He had woken up that morning, reaching over for her sleepily, a 'good morning' on his lips and was surprised to find the other side of the bed cold and empty, El no-where in sight.

Mike sat up, blinking, and looked around the room for any sign that El was there, thinking she might just be in the bathroom. When he found his room exactly as he had left it when he went to sleep last night he thumped his head against the wall, sighing.

'Damn it', he said, silently cursing his overactive imagination, running a hand throw his hair, tugging at it hard.

It had felt so real. But he should've known he'd only dreamt it. Mike Wheeler was not that lucky.

He rolled over and buried his face in his pillow with a low muffled groan. He paused, frowning, lifting his head and breathing in deeply as he smelt something different to the vanilla softener his Mom used clinging to the cotton. His whole body stilled, eyes widening, when he recognised the smell as being El's lavender shampoo.

Mike sat up abruptly and glanced down at his body, stunned to realise he was naked, something he definitely hadn't been when he'd gone to bed last night.

He spotted his clothes in a rumpled pile on the floor near his window and gaped, as the memories from the night before, of her sneaking in and everything that followed, came rushing back.

Holy shit, she was really here. It had all been real, he hadn't imagined it. They'd had sex! Mike Wheeler was officially no longer a virgin.

He grinned, throwing himself backwards onto the mattress, arms sprawled over his head. He frowned when he heard a loud crinkle close to his ear and reached under his pillow, pulling out a crumpled scrap of paper.

He flipped it over, squinting, eyes still bleary and unfocused from sleep, and smiled softly as he read what was written across it in a familiar messy handwriting.

_Had to go before Hopper wakes up and realises I snuck out. We will definitely be doing that again. Be back after breakfast. El x_

Mike grinned foolishly at the note, and tucked it back under his pillow, before laying back down to get a few more hours sleep, barely able to wait till he saw her again later.

Dustin and Mike stared down at the yellow card Mike had just thrown down when the colour was red, and both exchanged a look, confused by how jumpy and distracted Mike had been all morning. They shrugged after a moment, turning back to the game, deciding Mike was just being his usual love-sick self when it came to El.

The basement door swung open, and Mike's head snapped up so fast he cringed, neck jarring, as he looked to see who it was. His stiff shoulders slumped when he saw it was only Will, but he felt his body stiffen at how red Will's face was as he leant against the basement door, eyes wide and breathing heavily as if he'd run all the way there.

Will looked around the basement frantically, eyes landing on Dustin, then Lucas, who were both staring at him, completely bewildered, before they swung to Mike's. He swallowed nervously.

'Is El here?' he asked, breathlessly, desperate hope rising in him that she was just upstairs with Karen.

Mike shook his head slowly.

Will's shoulders slumped and he reached up to pull at his hair anxiously, pacing across the room.

'Why? What's going on?' Mike asked, stomach clenching as Will's face paled at the question, freezing in front of them.

Will bit his lip, before blurting the words, unable to keep it a secret, knowing Mike would never forgive him if he didn't tell him.

'She's missing.'

'What do you mean she's missing?' Dustin asked, colour draining from his face, as he and Lucas jumped to their feet, cards scattering at their feet.

'She wasn't in her room this morning when Hopper went in to wake her. He...he thinks she overheard him talking to my Mom, heard him telling her that Brenner escaped this morning. Hopper's been keeping an eye out, asking his friends to tell him if anyone from the facility he was being held in got out or was released, and they rang this morning. Said he stole one of the worker's coats and just walked straight out.'

Mike had stopped breathing, an overwhelming silence enveloping his mind. He barely heard Lucas and Dustin questioning Will, their voices muffled and faraway.

Gone. El was gone.

The words repeated over and over in his head, shockingly loud after the silence and he began to shake, a broken noise catching in his throat.

No, it couldn't be true. She couldn't just be gone. No, after...not after he'd just realised how he felt about her.

He hadn't told her. He hadn't told her how he felt about her.

Mike felt a hand shaking his shoulder, a faint voice calling his name and looked up, eyes wide and wild.

'Mike, calm down. Take a deep breath.'

He did what Lucas told him, taking a shuddering breath, surprised to find how fast his heart was racing, and the quick puffs of air that were escaping him.

'She's gone...she can't be gone...' he gasped out, turning pleading eyes to his friends, mind unable to grasp what last night had seemed impossible.

The boys exchanged worried looks over Mike's head, Lucas continuing to pat his shoulder comfortingly.

'Has Hopper got anyone out looking for her? Like they did with you?'

Will shook his head, expression grim.

'He can't. If Brenner somehow got here already by some miracle and finds out she's missing it'll only make it so much worse. Mom and him are already out searching.'

'Why the hell would he be coming here?' Lucas asked, frowning.

Will sighed.

'Hopper thinks he's coming here because...he wants El. He thinks he's going to try and take her back.'

'Like hell he is,' Dustin spat indignantly, and Lucas nodded, eyes narrowed and expression fierce.

'No way are we letting him get El.'

'I think you are all forgetting that she's missing. He could've already taken her', Mike said suddenly, getting shakily to his feet, icy fear running through him at the thought.

Will grabbed Mike's shoulders, turning him to face him, squeezing hard and shaking him.

'Mike, don't think like that. He's still miles away, it'll take him days to get here in a car, let alone on foot, and that's if he doesn't get caught first. El is fine, she's going to stay fine. We just have to find her.'

'Where would she have gone? She has to be in Hawkins's still', Dustin said, looking at all of them.

They began to plan, writing down a list of all the places she knew in Hawkins's and might have gone to hide, except for Mike who just sat, staring into space, as the others shot worried looks at him that he didn't even notice.

Fear and anger fought for supremacy inside him, his thoughts racing so quickly he couldn't focus on one.

Why did she run? Why the hell didn't she come to him? Did nothing that had happened last night or since the day they'd meet mean anything to her? Was she okay? Did Brenner have her? What if she never came back? What if he had lost her forever?

They split the list into two and decided to split up and look themselves. Will and Lucas went together in Will's car and Dustin stuck with Mike, not wanting him to be alone. He offered to drive but Mike shook his head, eyes faraway, needing to have something to focus on other than his thoughts.

They began to drive towards the Quarry, the first place on their list. Mike's darted from side to side, staring intently at the treeline, knowing how much time she spent in the woods outside her house, and hoping, though he knew how futile it was, that maybe she'd just step out of the tree-line and they'd find her.

'Where the hell is she?' he muttered under his breath.

Dustin looked over at Mike when he spoke, studying his pale face and clenched jaw, swallowing nervously before hesitantly speaking.

'Mike...are you okay?'

'I'm fine,' Mike said stiffly, his fingers tightening on the steering wheel.

Dustin pressed his lips together, knowing he should just be quiet and leave him alone, but couldn't help the words that fell from his mouth, hating to see his friends in pain.

'You don't look fine.'

'Well, then stop looking at me,' Mike snapped, turning furious dark eyes on him, teeth gritted.

Dustin pulled a face, and turned to stare out the window.

'Okay then.'

Mike let out a breath, forcing his jaw to relax and ran a hand over his face, suddenly feeling exhausted. Guilt made his stomach clench and he turned his head towards Dustin.

'Look, Dustin...I'm sorry...I just...'

Dustin shook his head, shrugging his shoulders.

'Don't worry about it. I know you're scared.'

Mike nodded, swallowing, before focusing back on the road.

Dustin looked at him for a second, before deciding the ask the question that had been plaguing him for weeks.

'Mike?'

Mike glanced at him distractedly, raising an eyebrow.

'Hmm...?'

'Are you in love with El?'

The steering wheel jerked in Mike's hand and he swung onto the wrong side of the road. He quickly righted the car, breathing hard, his eyes fixed on the road, stubbornly refusing to look at Dustin, knowing he'd known the truth now no matter what he said.

Blood rushed to his cheeks as he saw Dustin gaping at him out of the corner of his eye.

Dustin's mouth fell open, hand clutching the arm rest of the door, and he pointed a finger at him.

'Oh my god, you do!'

'Dustin...'

'Don't try and lie to me. You're totally in love with El. Just admit it.'

'Fine! I'm in love with El', Mike said, glaring at him, before he slumped, all the anger rushing from him, leaving him deflated.

'I love her', he said again, voice quieter, pain lancing through him, 'I...really don't want to talk about this okay?'

The grin on Dustin's face fell away as he saw the hurt and frightened look on Mike's face and shifted forward, patting him on the shoulder.

'Okay, if you don't want to talk about it, that's cool. But can I say just one thing?'

Mike shrugged dejectedly, waving a hand at him as if to say 'go ahead.'

'Good.'

Mike's eyes swung around and he blinked at him for a long moment. So long that Dustin's eyes widened and he frantically gestured for him to watch the road.

'Good?' Mike asked, completely bewildered.

'Yes, good. It's about time you admitted it. I've known you liked El since that first day in Harris's lab where you stared at her for two hours like a total stalker....and yes, we noticed. You're not exactly subtle, man. Have you told her yet? About how you feel, I mean.'

Mike looked away uncomfortably, embarrassed heat rising to his cheeks.

'No...I...uh....' he stammered, stopping and letting out an annoyed huff before continuing, 'I can't tell her yet. It's complicated.'

'I really don't see how.'

'Argh,' Mike sighed, beyond frustrated, rubbing at the headache that was beginning to pound between his eyes, 'It just is! I can't just tell her I love her....what if she doesn't say it back? Then I'll just look like a pathetic loser.'

Dustin made a rude noise, rolling his eyes so hard Mike was surprised they didn't get stuck.

'You can't be serious.'

Mike just frowned grumpily at him, eyebrows drawn together.

Dustin groaned, shaking his head.

'Oh my god, you are. Really, Mike? How can you not see how El feels about you? Everyone else can. How can you possibly be this oblivious?'

Mike just stared at him, confused, and feeling deeply offended. He was not oblivious!

'What the hell are you talking about, Dustin?'

Dustin gave a deep, put-upon sigh, grabbing at the curls hanging in his face, silently begging for patience.

'She....El looks at you like you hung the moon or something. No, scratch that, she looks at you like you're the Eggo section of the supermarket. She adores you, Mike. So when we find her bloody tell her because I'd bet my limited edition Superman that she'll say it back.'

Mike turned back the look at the road, feeling weak and shaky, like his whole world had shifted for the second time in less than an hour.

Was Dustin right? Did El love him back? Could she? What if he never found out for sure? What if he had missed his only chance to tell her last night?

No, he thought, mentally shaking his head, jaw clenching.

No, they were going to find her, he thought determinedly. He knew they would because he wouldn't stop searching until he found her, until she safe. Until he brought her home. No matter what it took.

She wasn't at the Quarry when they looked. Or the comic book store, or the diner, or the school. It was like she had just poofed away into thin air.

They drove to Will's where they had all agreed to meet, and found Will and Lucas already waiting, slumped against the back of the car.

'Anything?' Dustin asked and they both shook their heads, faces grim.

'What about Hopper? Have you heard anything?'

'They haven't found her either,' Will said, sighing, leaning back against his car.

Mike sat down on the gravel drive, burying his head in his hands, suddenly light-headed.

'Come on, El, where are you?' he whimpered, shaking his head.

Will looked down at him, a heaviness filling his chest when he suddenly blinked and jerked upright, eyes wide.

'The Junkyard.'

'What?' Lucas asked, turning and looking at him, frowning.

'We haven't checked the junkyard. Remember we took her there just after school ended. She loved that old school bus, wanted to have a sleepover in there one night.'

'You don't think....you think she went there?' Dustin said, tone doubtful.

'What do we have to lose by checking?' Will said, a little annoyed, and stomped towards the car.

Mike glanced up, and scrambled clumsily to his feet, following Will and climbing into the car, hope rising in him.

'Let's go,' he told Will, as the others exchanged a look and quickly jumped in, not wanting to be left behind.

Will drove a little too fast than was probably legal, something he never would do usually, but none of them cared, too focused on getting there, on finding her. It was their last chance.

Their doors were all open before Will even turned off the ignition, all of them running for the rusting yellow bus in the middle of the junkyard. The door was slightly open, and they squeezed inside, eyes darting around frantically.

Mike thought for a second that she wasn't there, the bus seemingly empty, and felt tears pricking his eyes, feeling utterly defeated. He turned to leave but stilled when he saw a splash of navy blue in the otherwise colourless interior and his eyes focused on the tiny figure curled up right at the end of the bus on a make-shift bed formed from a blanket and a school bag as a pillow, eyes closed and brow furrowed as she dozed in the afternoon sunlight.

'El?' Will called out softly, not wanting to scare her.

El's eyes shot open at the voice and she scrambled to her feet, her hands held up defensively. Her eyes widened even more, the colour draining from her face at the sight of them all crammed into the front of the bus.

No, they can't be here, she thought. Not safe, not safe, not safe...

The words echoed over and over in her head, telling her she needed to get away, she needed to keep them safe.

'How did you find me? You can't be here' she said, voice shaking, her eyes wide with anxiety, stomach pitching uncomfortably.

'Are you okay?' Dustin asked, exchanging a worried look with Will.

'You all need to leave...' she said desperately, pointing at the door, her finger trembling.

'We're not going anywhere.' Will said, voice determined.

El pulled at her hair, pacing in the small space, her eyes wild.

'You don't understand...'

'Yes, we do. That Brenner dude is after you,' Dustin said, flinching, instantly regretting it when El started to breathe harder, almost hyperventilating.

'Will told us who you were ages ago, El. It's okay', Lucas quickly explained, trying to reassure her, eyes wide.

El whirled on Will, betrayal and hurt shining in her eyes.

'Seriously, Will! You told me you wouldn't tell anyone. You promised.'

Will took a step forward, hands held up in defeat.

'I couldn't lie to them. Not when Mike flat out asked me.'

'Yes you can. It's easy. "Hey, Will, does El have powers?" "No." "Oh, okay."' she said, her voice hysterical.

Mike stood there watching her, fuming, so many emotions running through him that he didn't know how to react. He was almost limp with relief that she was okay, but the fury and devastation that she'd left him in the first place was quickly overriding that relief.

Had it meant nothing to her? Did he mean nothing to her? Was he just a moron for thinking that she could possibly have feelings for him?

All the thoughts built up in his head until he couldn't stay quiet anymore, the words bursting from him before he could stop them.

'What the hell were you thinking? How could you run off like this? How could you just leave, leave me?!'

Silence filled the bus as they all turned to stare at him nervously.

'Mike...' Lucas began, tone worried, as he watched El's face pale.

Mike slashed a hand in his direction, cutting him off.

El looked at Mike, her eyes huge and glistening with tears, wringing her hands anxiously.

He was so angry.

Her chest tightened to the point of pain as she looked at him, at the hurt and pain darkening his eyes, almost masked by the anger. His jaw was stiff, hands balled into fists by his sides, but she knew he would never hurt her.

'Did last night mean nothing to you? What was it, just a goodbye?'

El looked at him for a second before anger rose in her, completely taking over, and she stepped forward and pushed him hard, almost making him fall backwards.

The boys froze, staring between them, eyes wide. They all knew that El could break Mike's neck with nothing but a thought, but he stood his ground, not moving, glaring back at her furiously.

'You. Are. An. Asshole', she said, spitting the words out between clenched teeth, her expression devastated, tears filling her eyes and spilling over her lashes.

'How can you think that? Last night was everything to me. Everything, Mike. It was the best night of my life. I didn't know about Brenner until this morning. I went to you last night because I was scared and you make me feel safe'.

'Wait, what happened last night?' Will asked, eyebrows drawn together in confusion.

Mike and El turned towards them, surprised, having forgotten they were there, heat rising to both their cheeks. They both looked away, fidgeting, refusing to look at any of them or each other.

Dustin's eyes zeroed in on the exposed skin on El's neck, seeing the dark purple bruise blooming there, and his eyes went comically wide.

'Oh my god, you two...' he croaked, gawking at them as they shifted uncomfortably.

'You did, you totally had sex!' Lucas, grinning despite the seriousness of the situation.

Will looked at his two very uncomfortable and still very mad friends, biting back a grin, and grabbed his friends arm, yanking them towards the door.

'I don't think we should be here for this conversation', he told them under his breath, quickly pulling them out of the bus.

Tense silence filled the bus as the door was pushed shut behind them. Mike glared at El, crossing his arms over his chest, trying to hide the hurt that was running through, the pain so sharp he felt breathless.

'Why?' he asked her, eyes narrowed.

'Mike...'

'No, El, no excuses. Give me one good reason why you left? Without a word, or a note. How could you do that to me?'

'It's better this way...'

'For who? Because it's not better for me. Give me one good reason why you left.'

'I don't want to...' she said, eyes shifting around the bus, looking for a way to escape, to avoid this conversation.

'Tell me!' he yelled.

'Because I love you!' she screamed suddenly, the words slipping out without her permission.

Mike froze, shock running through him, leaving him feeling suddenly unbalanced. All the colour drained from his cheeks,

She loves him...El loves him.

El slapped a hand over her mouth, furious with herself, as she spun away.

But she couldn't take it back now. He knew.

'I love you, Mike', she said, her voice a whisper, shuddering with tears, 'When I heard Dad say that Brenner had escaped and he was coming after me do you know what my first thought was? "I can't let him hurt them". I've survived the worst he could put me through, he can't hurt me anymore. But if he hurt you...' her breath hitched and she wrapped arms around herself, spinning towards him.

Mike's took a staggering step back, shock coursing through him at the pain and fear darkening her brown eyes.

'If he hurt you, anyone of you, I wouldn't survive it. I'd rather leave you, all of you, behind, never seeing you again but knowing you were safe, than live with the fact that I'm the reason you're dead. So I left. You think I wanted to go? After everything we've had together? Then you don't know me at all, Mike Wheeler!'

She spun back around, seeming to curl in on herself, as if she'd break if she didn't hold herself together.

Mike's whole body felt like ice, shock and guilt causing his heart to beat wildly in his chest at the amount of pain he could hear building within her at every word, trying to mask itself with fury.

She was so selfless she'd been willing to leave, to give up her friends and what he and her had together, to save them.

But he wasn't selfless. He couldn't be, not when it came to her. He couldn't let her go, no matter what it cost him. He loved her too much.

Mike reached out to grab her arm, to get her to face him. At the brush of his fingers El snatched her arm back, turning and glaring at him, fury radiating from her.

'Don't touch me'.

Mike glared back at her, wrapping his fingers around her thin arm and yanked her around and into his arms.

'Let me go', she screamed loudly, squirming and kicking in the air, trying to jerk out of his arms.

He only tightened his hold, shaking her gently to get her attention. Her dark, tear-soaked eyes snapped up to his, body rigid.

'No. I'm not letting you go. Not ever. You're not going anywhere, El Hopper. So get that through you're thick, telekinetic brain'.

They stared at each for a moment, before the anger faded from her eyes, and all the fight seemed to go out of her. She slumped in his arms, collapsing against his chest, her body shaking with sobs. She wrapped her arms around his neck, burrowing in closer until she was pressed flush against his body.

'I was so scared, Mike. I thought I'd never see you again.'

He made a shushing noise, shaking his head.

'It's okay, you're okay, we're okay.'

'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Mike', she sobbed.

'I'm sorry too, El. I was being an idiot. I was just so scared, thinking of you out here alone. And I was...I thought you'd just left me, that you didn't feel the same way about me. That it didn't matter as much to you. I thought I was going to lose you after I'd just found you. I love you, El'.

El sobbed harder at his words, shaking her head, and she felt his arms tighten around her.

'Please don't try to leave me again. Promise me. I don't think....I could survive it', Mike's voice cracked at the mere thought, unable to imagine a life without her in it.

She lifted her blotchy, tear-stained face, eyes wide and shook her head frantically.

'I won't, I promise'.

He wiped at her tears with his thumbs, feeling his own tears dripping down his cheeks.

Her breath hitched as she spoke again, her stomach clenching with fear.

'He's coming for me, Mike. He's not going to give up until he has me.'

'Well, he'll have to fight all four of us to get you. And Hopper and Joyce, and probably even my Mom. You're not alone anymore, El. We'll protect you and you'll protect us. We're family. That's what family does for each other', he told her.

She stared at him for a long moment before lifting onto her toes and pressing her lips hard to his, her hands cradling his face. Mike curled his hands around her hips and kissed her back, lips moving over each others almost desperately. It said everything they couldn't put into words. It was an apology, a vow, a promise.

She clung to him, fingers digging into his shoulders, the taste of salt on her lips, and she couldn't tell if it was hers or his tears she was tasting.

They both pulled back, breathing hard, exchanging tremulous smiles. Mike took her hand, his fingers slipping between hers, squeezing reassuringly.

'Let's go home'.

'Okay.'

The boys rushed over as they exited the bus, worry evident on all their faces.

'Are you okay?' Will asked, looking between them concerned, before down at their joined hands, a smile curving his lips.

'I will be', she said, reassuring them. 'I'm so sorry, guys.'

They all shook their heads, understanding, not needing the apology.

Dustin rushed forward, almost knocking her off her feet as he hugged her. She steadied herself with a startled laugh and hugged him back.

The other boys quickly moved forward and wrapped their arms around the pair.

El closed her eyes, leaning her head against Lucas's, her hand still in Mike's and Will's hand on her back.

Her boys. She would never have been able to live without them. Mike was right, they were her family. And she would do whatever it took to keep them safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always let me know what you think :) Love hearing from everyone!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so here's the next chapter. Sorry it took me so long to update, had a few bad days but all better now! And I'm almost finished the last chapter. Can't believe it's almost over already :( Hope you enjoy- K x

El drifted awake slowly, frowning as she wiggled under the too-hot covers, sweat pooling irritatingly along her spine and forehead. She opened her eyes, squeezing her eyes shut to slits when the sun beamed directly into them with a muffled groan. 

She slowly opened them, letting them adjust as she yawned and pushed her hair out of her face, and was surprised by how high the sun was in the sky. She never slept this late. 

She kicked her legs, trying to push the covers down, but before she could move them an inch she was pushed back down with a muffled 'oomph' as an arm tightened around her waist and longs legs were pushed down ontop of hers. 

El glanced beside her, a smile already curving her mouth as she looked down at Mike's sleeping face, his usually pale cheeks flushed, mouth hanging open slightly as he drooled on her pillow and his hair sticking up like a porcupine. 

She laughed, slapping a hand over her mouth to muffle it, and brushed her hand along his hair, trying to flatten it before he woke up. He snuffled at her touch, face scrunching up into an adorable pout in his sleep, and he pulled her closer, burying his face in her shoulder. 

El sighed happily, and laid her head down against his, closing her eyes. 

God, she loved waking up like this, all tangled up with him and his face the first thing she saw. 

Ever since she had almost run away she had been having such terrible nightmares about Brenner, the Lab and the Upside Down she had barely been sleeping, and woke up screaming most nights. The first time it had happened Hopper had burst into the room with his gun out and had tried desperately to calm her down when he realised no-one was there and it was only a nightmare. 

But the only person who could calm her was Mike. 

Just having him beside her, smelling the familiar vanilla scent that clung to his clothes and feeling his long arms wrapping aound her calmed her racing heart, helped her breathe easy again and chased the nightmares away. She had never felt as safe, protected and loved as she did beside him. 

They had been sleeping at each other's houses, switching off days, for almost a month now. Both Hopper and Karen had reluctantly agreed to let them sleep together after the third time they'd been caught in the same bed. They both knew their kids would just keep sneaking out, Hopper the only one knowing why they were so scared to leave each other's sides, and they agreed that at least this way they could keep an eye on them. 

Mike had been more affected by El almost leaving than he had let on. El had only found out how scared he was when she had woken earlier than him and gone to get a drink the first time they'd slept in the same bed after she'd run, and had dropped her glass when she heard Mike crying out in his sleep, screaming her name. 

The fear in his eyes when she'd shaken him awake, fear she had put there, had almost broken her heart, and El had been careful not to get out of bed till he woke from then on. She never wanted to see that type of fear in his eyes again, couldn't bear the very thought. 

She was startled from her thoughts as she felt Mike jerk against her, and lifted her head off his head to look down at him, an amused smile twisting her lips. 

Mike hated mornings, something El secretly found hilarious. He such a drama queen when he woke up. 

Mike came awake with an annoyed groan, opening his eyes and squinting as the early morning sunshine shone onto his face. He moaned loudly, grumbling unintelligibly under his breath, and yanked his pillow over his head, blocking out the light. 

El giggled and lifted the edge of the pillow, wiggling her own head under the pillow to rest next to his and pressed a soft kiss to his chin. 

Mike opened his eyes and, despite the exhaustion beating at him, sleep beckoning on the edges of his consciousness, he smiled sleepily at her wide grin. 

Damn, he was lucky, he thought, reaching up to brush her hair back behind her ear, before leaning forward and kissing her nose. 

What other seventeen year old boy could say he got to woke up with his beautiful girlfriend everyday without getting in trouble for it? None he knew of. 

Mike grinned smugly, before stretching his arms over his head. 

'Morning', he said, voice rough with sleep 

'Morning', El echoed. 

'What time is it?' 

'8.45', she said, glancing at her alarm clock next to her bed, pressing her lips together to keep from laughing at his horrified expression. 

'Argh, are you serious?' Mike groaned, rolling onto his stomach and closing his eyes, putting on a fake snore that made her laugh. 

Way too early, he thought, shaking his head in disbelief. 

Sometimes he questioned his girlfriend's sanity. Mornings were for sleeping. 

El slipped out from under his arm, and got to her feet, jumping on the mattress, grinning when he bounced slightly with a muffled, put-upon sigh. 

'Come on, Mike! I've been awake ages...entertain me', she whined playfully, pouting at him. 

Mike suddenly rolled over, grabbing her calf and yanking her down on top of him. He grinned as she let out a loud squeal and pressed a hard kiss to her mouth. 

He chuckled as he felt her lips curving up against his, before pulling back and raising an eyebrow at her, a smirk curling his lips. 

'Better?' 

'Much', she said, grinning as she rubbed her nose against his, slipping her fingers through his own. 

They lay there for a few minutes, El laying on top of him, ear pressed to his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, and him stroking her back lazily. 

'I like this,' Mike said softly, breath hot against her ear. 

'What?' she asked, lifting her head to peer up at him. 

'Waking up with you. It's the best part of the day.' 

El blushed, cheeks going bright red, and buried her face in the hollow of his neck to hide it. 

'Mine too. I still can't believe my Dad and your Mom agreed to it.'

Mike snorted. 

'We kind of gave them no choice. It was either that or have both of us racing across town every night. Oh, and speaking of parents, Hopper checked on us again last night. Twice.' 

El laughed, leaning up on her elbow and resting her chin on her hand, meeting his eyes. 

'I know. I heard him as well. What does he think? We're sex-crazed?' she asked, using the word that Dustin had used to describe them after the second time he'd walked in on them making out, that time shirtless. 

El felt her face heat up again in remembered embarrassment, and shook her head. 

'Uh...' Mike said, raising an eyebrow at her and pointedly glancing down at the hickey she'd left on his bicep the night before when she'd pretty much jumped him the second they'd been sure Hopper was asleep. 

El blushed and smacked his arm when he sniggered at her. 

'Shut up, mouth-breather. Just count yourself lucky the sheets hadn't fallen off of us when he checked', she said, gesturing down at their naked bodies with a hand, 'otherwise...' 

Mike shuddered at the thought and tugged the sheet up, glancing at the door, paranoid even though he knew Hopper had left for work at six that morning. 

'There'd be a bullet hole in me right now'.

'Nah. Just a Mike sized hole in the wall', El said, laughing at he blanched, before narrowing his eyes at her playfully and poking her side, tickling her. 

El giggled, wiggling away from him before looking at him, expression smug. 

'By the way, don't think your house is any different. You're Mom does it too. Checks on us,' she elaborated as he gave her a confused look. 

'She does?' he asked, tone surprised. 

El nodded, her lips twitching in amusement. 

'Yeah, but since she caught me in the middle of...ah...getting dressed, she's stopped,' she told him, laughing as she remembered the mortified look on Karen Wheeler's face and the stuttered apology as she'd hurriedly closed the door. 

'She didn't!' Mike said, an identical mortified expression creasing his face, making El laugh uncontrollably. 

'She did.' 

'Oh god', Mike said, horrified by the thought that his Mom knew he was having sex. 

El caught his chin in her hand and pressed her lips to his, distracting from his thoughts, and grinned against his lips as he kissed her back hungrily, gently pushing her down onto the mattress and sliding over her. 

He kissed his way down from her mouth, nibbling at her chin before moving down and biting her collarbone gently. 

El sighed, arching into his mouth, digging her hands into his hair, before her eyes caught the time blinking at her from her alarm clock and she sighed in annoyance, tapping Mike on his shoulder. 

'Hmm...?' 

'We can't. We have to meet the guys at 9.30.' 

Mike groaned, pressing his forehead to her chest. 

'I'm really questioning how much we both need friends right now.' 

El rolled her eyes at him, not about to admit that she was as annoyed as he was, and rolled out from under him. 

'Idiot,' she said affectionately, 'Come on, we need to get dressed.'

She jumped to her feet, stretching, before walking to her dresser, naked and completely unselfconscious. Mike sat up and watched her, eyes going dark. 

El flicked him a teasing look over her shoulder, before throwing a clean pair of underwear, shorts and a t-shirt at him. Mike barely caught it before it hit his face, and sighed, before wiggling into them. 

When he turned around El was already dressed, wearing denim shorts and one of his t-shirts that she'd stolen, the hem almost brushing her knees, her hair pulled up into a tiny ponytail. 

His gaze softened and he walked over to press a soft kiss to her temple, hugging her to him. 

'You know how much I love you, right?' 

El crinkled her nose at him, a slight smirk curving her lips. 

'You may have mentioned it a few times.' 

Mike snorted out a laugh and nudged her with his shoulder, before grabbing her hand. 

'Smart-ass. Come on, let's go. The others will never let us live it down if we're late.' 

El nodded, letting him tug her out the trailer and to his car, that was parked out front. They climbed inside, quickly rolling down the windows, the day already humid, sweat beading on their skin. 

Mike turned the key in the ignition, and frowned as the engine spluttered, before dying. He tried it again, swearing under his breath when it didn't even turn on, a rapid clicking noise replacing the usual roar of the engine. 

'What the hell?' he muttered under his breath, face folding into a scowl. 

He pulled the key out and glanced at El, who was frowning at him. 

'Battery must have died. Looks like we're walking into town', he said, tone a little disgruntled, wiping a hand over his already soaked forehead. 

Damn, it was hot. It really was the worst day for this to happen. 

El shrugged her shoulders, smiling as she climbed out of the car. Mike followed with a muttered curse, not too keen to walk the five miles into town where they were meeting the others.

She held out her hand and he took it, relaxing slightly, frustration draining from him as she squeezed his hand comfortingly. 

'It's fine, Mike. It shouldn't take us more than an hour. They'll wait for us', she told him. 

Mike smiled at her, squeezing her hand back as they walked out into the woods instead of following the road, taking the shortcut that would cut the journey in half. 

They were both unaware of the person who stepped out from behind the trailer, a piece of twisted metal from Mike's car held in his hands, narrowed eyes watching them. Fury roared through him as he saw the boys arm curl around her shoulders, before he quickly followed them into the woods, determined to get back what was his. 

**

'Where the hell are they? They're almost an hour late,' Dustin groaned as they walked the aisles of the corner store, arms piled with water bottles and snacks for the trip they planned to take down the rail track for the day. 

'I don't know. Just like I didn't know the twenty other times you asked,' Lucas snapped, beyond irritated, as he glared at Dustin from the other aisle. 

Dustin narrowed his eyes at him and gave him the finger, before quickly juggling the chips in his arms as they almost tipped over at the movement. 

Will ignored them, glancing worriedly over at the front of the store, jiggling his leg   
nervously. 

Dustin was right. They should have been there ages ago. What could be keeping them? Mike was never late, and they'd all agreed to use their Supercoms to let others know they were okay if something like this ever happened. 

Will jumped when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder and turned to see Lucas looking at him, expression blank though Will could see the worry he was trying to hide in his eyes. 

Lucas squeezed Will's shoulder reassuringly, shrugging at him. 

'I'm sure they're okay, man. Probably just lost track of time sucking face or something.' 

Will chuckled weakly, nodding his head. 

'Yeah...sure.' 

They all made their way over to the counter and dumped their snacks onto the counter, all shooting looks at the doorway, getting more anxious by the second. 

The owner scanned their items, noticing their distracted smiles and gave them an indulgent smile. 

'I'm sure you're little friend just caught up with her uncle.' 

They all stiffened, panic shooting into them. Three pairs of eyes swung up to the man's smiling, relaxed face. 

Will's heart slammed hard into his chest, a roaring filling his ears as his stomach clenched painfully in fear. He glanced at Dustin and Lucas and knew they were feeling the same fear, Dustin's face so white he looked like he was going to faint, Lucas's stiff in a way that only happened when he was about to be sick. 

'What are you talking about?' Will asked, voice shaking. 

The owner shrugged, expression thoughtful, as he slowly bagged their food like he hadn't just dropped a bomb of them. 

'He came in this morning. A big guy, kind of distinguished looking, with white hair and wearing a nice suit. Though he looked like he'd been travelling for a while, was a bit rumpled and dirty. He said he was looking for his niece, was supposed to visit her and showed me a picture of the girl you three are always running around with so I pointed him towards Hopper's place.' he said, smiling pleasantly. 

The smile dropped off his face, however, when he saw them all exchanged terrified looks. 

Lucas swallowed past the tightness in his throat and looked up at the owner, breath coming fast. 

'Call Chief Hopper now. El doesn't have an uncle', he told him, voice frantic. 

The shop owner stared at them for a moment, before his face went white and he quickly fumbled for the phone, dropping it twice in his panic before he dialled. 

The boys all rushed from the store to grab their bikes, hands shaking so badly they could barely hold them upright.   
Dustin turned them, fear filling his face, pulling at his hair stressfully. 

'It's him, isn't it? That Brenner dude. It has to be.' 

'What if he's already found them?' Lucas asked, eyes wide. 

Will shook his head, throat thick with unshed tears. 

'We can't think that way. We have to go find them.' 

They all jumped on their bikes and began to pedal away but the shop owner rushed from the store and stood in front of them, arms out. 

'The Chief said you three have to stay here. It's too dangerous. He said he'd call when he knows it's safe, when he has your friends. I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I thought he was telling the truth,' he said, face slightly green, as he leant on his knees like he was going to be sick. 

The boys nodded grimly, hands clenched on the handles of their bikes as they stood huddled together, all silently praying it wasn't too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you all think? Let me know as always xx- K


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Oh my god....so nervous posting this chapter. Please don't hate me! I really hope you like it and I swear I'll post the next chapter either tonight or tomorrow- K x

El shivered, goose bumps rising on her arms as she felt like eyes were digging into her back. She shot a look over her shoulder for what felt like the tenth time since they'd started the walk into town, as she rubbed her arms, stomach churning uncomfortably. 

Something was wrong. Something was really, really wrong. 

The wood were quiet, too quiet, no other sounds except for the crackle of their feet against dry leaves and grass. 

Mike glanced over at her as he saw El glance behind her again, concern filling him as he saw how pale her face was, lips pressed together so hard they were almost white from the pressure. 

What had happened to his relaxed, happy El that he had started the walk with? 

'You okay?' 

El shook her head slowly, inching closer to him and grabbing his hand, squeezing painfully hard. 

Mike tugged her against his side, squeezing her hand back. 

'What's wrong?' 

'I feel like...I think someone's following us...'

Mike's looked down at her, at the terrified expression on her face, and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he glanced around them anxiously, noticing, as well, how silent it was. 

He believed her. Of course he did. Something had felt wrong, off, since the car hadn't started and the more he'd thought about it the more sure he was that there had been something more wrong with the car. But he hadn't said anthing to El, not wanting to scare her. 

But it was too late for that. They had to get out of there. Now. 

Mike swallowed past the fear tightening his throat, and tried to give her a reassuring smile, though it came out more as a twitching grimace. 

'Come on, we're almost to town. I'm sure it's noth....' 

A stick cracked, deafeningly loud in the silence that surrounded them and they both froze, wide eyes swinging to the treeline in front of them, looking around frantically, throats thick with fear. 

Neither of them had moved, they couldn't have made that sound. El was right. Someone was in the woods with them. 

Mike stepped half in front of El, stance protective as his eyes shifted over the woods and between the trees, heart pounding in his chest. 

'Whoever the fuck you are, this is not funny. Show yourself or piss off.' 

El wrapped an arm around Mike's waist, peering around his shoulder, growing tenser and tenser as the silence dragged. 

When no-one stepped out Mike relaxed slightly, and turned back to El with a relieved smile, shaking his head sheepishly. 

'Must have just been an animal...' the words froze on his tongue as he saw all the blood drain from El's face , pure fear filling it she stumbled a few steps away, a cry falling from her lips. 

Mike spun around and stared at the man who stepped out from behind a tree. His black suit was rumpled and buttoned wrongly, white hair sticking up on end like he'd been running his hands through it and he had bloody scratches covering his face and hands. 

His pale, icy blue eyes zeroed in on El, a slow smile creeping onto his face. 

'Eleven,' he breathed, taking a few steps forward, arms going wide as if he expected her to run into them, 'I've found you. We can go home now.' 

El couldn't breathe, terror tightening her throat until all that could escape was a hissing gasp. Her muscles stiffened, going rigid until she couldn't move an inch, until all she could do was stare at him, chest heaving. 

Brenner. He had found her. He was going to take her back. She couldn't go back...she couldn't...

He watched her, gaze unblinking, and expression growing more and more impatient as she stood frozen and stiff in front of him.  
He waved a hand at her, beckoning her towards him. 

El shook her head jerkily, taking another panicked step back, heart pounding, and her body shaking so hard she felt like she was vibrating on the spot. 

She couldn't look away from his eyes, no matter how much she wanted to unfreeze her muscles, grab Mike's hand and run. His eyes had the same coldness she'd grown up seeing in the Lab but there was something new in them, something unfocused and deadly, something just not right, that made every hair on her body stand on end and every warning signal in her mind scream at her. 

Insane. He was insane. He had lost his mind like the people in the Labs had said, the sanity just snapping like a twig. And he was walking towards them with that glint in his eyes. 

Walking towards Mike. 

'Mike...' El whispered, quickly walking towards him and wrapping an arm around his waist, pulling him and trying to push him behind her, terrified eyes locked on Brenner. 

Brenner stopped mid-step, eyes narrowing as they focused on Mike for the first time and El felt a chill run up her spine at the way he looked at him. 

As if he was the enemy. Or something to be disposed of.

'Come now, Eleven,' he said, voice quiet but confident. 

He was so sure she would come with him. 

Mike felt El shiver against him, pulling frantically at his waist, and glared at the man in front of him, fury roaring through him.  
Brenner. 

Mike had never hated anymore more in his life. His hands clenched into fists as he barely resisted the urge to wrap his hands around his throat and squeeze the life out of him. He wanted to kill him, the urge so strong, so demanding that somewhere deep inside him he was slightly horrified. 

How could Brenner do it? How could he lock a little girl away her entire life for the sole purpose of using her as a human lab rat? And how could he expect that girl to come back with him willingly? The man was insane. 

He would never get El back. Mike would die before he let that happen. 

'No,' Mike said, expression determined, eyes narrowed and dark as he stepped in front of El. 'She's not going anywhere with you, not ever again. She's already home'. 

'Mike, no!' El begged, tears prickling her eyes, chest tightening painfully, mouth dry. 

Something shifted behind Brenner's eyes, something that made El's entire body go cold. He reached inside the jacket of his suit, and pulled out a gun, sunlight glinting on the barrel which he pointed straight at Mike. 

Mike froze, every muscle in his body stiffening, as icy cold terror filled him. He only had long enough for his eyes to widen, his eyes on Brenner's finger as he pulled the trigger and the bullet slammed into him. 

A pressure wave of burning white-hot pain spread through Mike's stomach, doubling him over before the force of the bullet entering his skin made him topple backwards. He landed hard on the grass, gasping for breath as he stared up at the canopy of trees above him, thoughts racing as he struggled to understand what had happened, shock quickly spreading through him. 

He lay on his back, chest shuddering up and down, as he pressed a shaking hand to his stomach, blinking, uncomprehendingly, at the blood that coated it. 

'MIKE!' El screamed, the terrified sound shaking the trees, snapping some in half, her powers spurting out of her uncontrollably. 

She fell to her knees beside him, tears running down her cheeks. 

'No, no, no', she said, over and over, face pale and frantic.

Her hands hovered over his wound, warm blood pulsing from the hole in his stomach, before she pressed down hard, desperately trying to stop the blood quickly soaking through his shirt, staining her hands, and dripping to the grass below. 

'It's okay, you'll be okay', she promised, hands shaking as he stared up at her, skin grey and lips turning white, his chest heaving and breath coming fast. Too fast. 

Cruel hands dug into El's shoulder, yanking her up and away from Mike and swinging her up into a pair of arms. 

'NO!' El shrieked as he stepped further and further away from Mike, eyes wild. 

Mike lifted his head weakly, muscles shaking, as El screamed and felt his throat tighten, fear cutting through him as he saw El struggling in Brenner's arms as he carried her away. 

No, El!

He rolled onto his side, screaming as agony ripped through his stomach, like someone was stabbing him with hot pokers, twisting them inside him. He pressed his hands against the ground, trying to push himself up onto his arms. His arms trembled violently, twitching at the movement, before he collapsed back on the grass. 

Mike cried out and clawed at the grass, hands slippery with blood, desperate to get to her, to save her, but he couldn't get a grip and fell back to the ground on his back. 

He stared numbly, gasping for breath and coughing as blood filled his mouth, coating his lips. He shivered, suddenly so cold, the only warmth he could feel being the warm blood soaking into his clothes. 

Grey began to form at the edges of his vision, the darkness come to take him away, and he blinked, desperate to stay. He needed to help her, he needed to help El. 

'El', he gasped, his voice so weak he barely heard it. His head rolled back, sight fading as the darkness dragged him away. 

El saw Mike slump, lying unmoving on the ground and let out a piercing, agonising cry. She bucked in Brenner's arms ferociously, loosening his grip before she reached up and dragged her nails down his face, leaving behind four deep and bloody scratches. 

Brenner let out a yell and threw El to the ground, raising his hands to his face with a curse. 

She hit the ground hard, landing heavily on her side, knocking the breath out of her. El gasped, but crawled across the grass back to Mike, throwing herself over his still body, sobbing. 

'Mike...no....please..' she begged, shaking him, but he didn't wake, grey face slack and unmoving, chest rising and falling too slowly. 

'I don't understand,' Brenner said from behind her, tone quizzical as he looked down at them, forehead furrowed. 'He's gone now. You don't have to worry anymore. He can't keep you from me. We can go home'. 

He smiled widely, almost serenely at the thought, holding a hand out to El. 

El stared at it through blurry eyes, shaking her head, denying his words. 

No, he can't be gone. He can't die. 

Her mind froze on that one thought, stunned, unable to believe what was happening. It was her worse fear come to life, the very reason she had tried to leave. 

Brenner frowned down at her, face hardening before he reached into his pants pocket and his hand clenched around the small object inside. 

'Come now, Eleven, or I'll make you come. Whatever is easier,' he said, pulling out the needle filled with an opaque liquid. A tranquiliser. 

El stared at Mike's grey, slack face, her breath shuddering out, his blood coating her fingers and knew what she had to do. 

Hold on, Mike, just hold on, she begged silently as she rose to her feet to face Brenner. 

He would never let her go. Never let her be free. Not while he was alive. He'd kill anyone to get to her, all the people she loved, who loved her. She couldn't let that happen. 

She had no choice. 

Fury burst through her, filling her until all she could see was a red haze coating her vision, focused right on Brenner. Her hands clenched so hard her nails dug deep into the fleshy skin of her palms, blood pooling underneath. Her power swept through her like a tsunami, rising so fast and powerful she was vaguely surprised way deep inside her that it didn't burst from her fingertips to escape.

El turned, her gaze focused on Brenner unflinchingly, and calmly lifted her hand. 

Brenner jerked upright, muscles snapping to attention, as the needle fell from his hand to the grass below as his fingers relaxed. All the blood drained from his face as he felt his fingers tighten around the gun in his hand without his directive and slowly began to rise upwards. 

'What...what are you doing?' he asked, voice shaking, eyes widening. 

El didn't answer. She just kept raising her arm slowly, and watching, emotionlessly, as his followed the movement.  
Brenner's whole body twitched as the gun grazed his jaw, his arm shaking so hard the gun seemed to vibrate as he strained, trying to regain control of his body. Trying to stop what was about to happen. 

But he couldn't. And he knew it. 

'Stop it. Stop this right now', he ordered, cold sweat dripping down his temple. 

El shook her head, eyes focused and dry, blood dripping heavily from her nose, down her lip and onto her neck. 

'No.' 

'I don't understand. I came to save you from these people. To bring you home. I'm your Papa', he begged, the cold metal of the gun now pressed bruisingly hard against his temple. 

El tilted her head, the movement like a predator eyeing their prey, hot anger filling her eyes although her face remained blank. 

'You were never my Papa. You're not anything to me but a monster.' 

You're nothing, she thought, as she turned away, ignoring his pleas, closing her eyes as she made his finger twitch on the trigger. 

The blast of a gunshot echoed through the woods for a second time, leaving her ears ringing. 

She didn't even look back as she heard his body hit the ground, swaying and stumbling towards Mike, collapsing beside him. She raised a trembling hand to his neck and sagged when she felt a weak pulsing under her fingers, muscles slackening with relief. 

A sob escaped her as she quickly raised her weak, trembling hands, her arms so heavy they felt like they were being weighed down. 

El pulled the dregs of her power up, ignoring the searing pain splitting her head, and focused on Mike's wound, on the blood still steadily seeping out, although there was worryingly a lot less coming now. 

She struggled to hold her power steady, feeling it petering out, almost empty. She reached deep and pulled the last out of it up and at him, watching through bleary, unfocused eyes as the blood slowly trickled to a halt before stopping entirely. 

Tears pooled in her eyes, blinding her, and she wiped them away impatiently, leaving behind red streaks of his blood on her cheeks and along her temple. 

'It's okay, you're going to be okay. I promise.'

He was so white, too white, his breath becoming more and more shallow. 

'Please don't leave me,' El begged, lips trembling as she sobbed, 'I love you, Mike.' 

Her vision slowly began to fade, dizzy spots dancing in front of her eyes. El shook her head, blinking stubbornly, trying to fight the white inching into her vision. 

No, she thought, I can't leave him. 

She slumped forward, her head on his chest, all the strength draining from her body as she struggled to keep her eyes open. 

No, I can't leave him alone. I have to keep him safe.

She lay on his chest, fighting the darkness, digging her nails into her arm to stay awake for what felt like hours before she heard the faint shrill of sirens coming closer and closer towards them. Relief filled her, and she let out another sob, relaxing her hand. 

People were coming. They would help him. 

Save him, she begged them silently. Save Mike. 

As the thunder of feet and the slamming of car doors sounded she closed her eyes, giving in to the darkness that was beckoning to her, letting it pull her away. 

The last thing she heard before everything went black was the weak, stuttering beat of Mike's heart under her ear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think? I feel like I'm going to get yelled at lol. Let me know- K x


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, it's the last chapter :( I think I'm going to cry. Thank you for all your amazing reviews and support throughout this story, it's really appreciated. Also I think I scared a few people with the last chapter so....this chapter is dedicated to you guys. I'm sorry haha- Katie xoxo

Mike fought his way to consciousness, feeling like he was swimming through thick water that kept trying to drag him back into the calm, dark of sleep. He batted a hand in the direction of his alarm clock, the repetitive beeping grating on his nerves and making the dull pulsing in his head worse.

'Shut up,' he mumbled, his voice coming out a raspy whisper that made him still, confused and shocked by the sound. 

His eyelids felt heavy and refuse to open, no matter how hard he strained. His face scrunched into a disgruntled frown and he squeezed hard, forcing them to open wide. He blinked blearily, flinching as the bright fluroscent lights above him seared into his eyes, blinding him. 

Mike turned his head into his pillow with a loud groan, confusion filling him and his mind racing as he realised that the pillow inches from his face wasn't his. 

What the hell? he thought, swallowing and grimacing at how dry his mouth felt. He took careful stock of his body, sight still too unfocused and mind too sluggish to do much else. 

Where the hell was he? 

Mike felt like he had been sleeping for weeks but was still tired, exhaustion beating at him, and all he wanted to do was sleep, to close his eyes and drift away. His arms and legs were heavy and numb, and felt like they weighed a ton. He couldn't lift them off the bed for more than a few seconds before the burning muscles twitched and trembled uncontrollably and fell limply back onto the bed. 

Mike's vision finally sharpened into focus and he blinked, frowning drowsily, as he looked across the room and saw his Mom and Hopper asleep on a pair of chairs, both looking exhausted. Hopper was snoring loudly, mouth hanging open and Karen was leaning on her hand, face pale with dark circles under her eyes.

His eyebrows drawing together, Mike tried to roll over to get to his feet, head spinning dizzily. He cried out as a burst of twisting, blinding pain shot into his stomach. He grit his teeth against it, barely holding back a scream, his fingers spasming on the handrail of the bed he was in. He slumped back against the pillow as the pain fading to a dull ache, sweat coating his forehead, breath coming in heavy puffs as he looked around the room, realisation dawning.

The room was small with white unadorned walls and hardly any furniture except for two chairs, a plastic bed-side table and the bed he was lying in. The smell of antiseptic and chemicals hung thickly in the air and it was completely silent except for the repetitive beat from the machine beside his bed. A machine, he now realised, that was monitoring his heartbeat.

He glanced down as he felt a tugging as he shifted his arm, swallowing hard as he saw the needle sticking into the crease of his elbow, a translucent liquid pumping cool drugs into his system. 

The hospital. He was in the hospital. Why? What had happened?

Mike's eyes snapped wide as images flashed across his mind, so quickly he could barely focus on them, his heart beginning to pound in his chest and his breath coming faster and faster. 

The white-hot pain of a bullet ripping uncaringly through his skin and muscles, shredding his insides...

...Brenner carrying El away as she struggled and bucked, shrieking and reaching for him...

...El's terrified, white face, brown eyes wide and tears running down her cheeks as she hovered over him, begging him to be okay...

Holy fuck! He'd been shot...Brenner had actually shot him and El...

El...

EL!

He sat forward, eyes darting around the room, panic rising inside him as he searched for her, for any sign she was there, that she was okay.

Mike throat tightened, breath coming out in harsh, painful gasps that filled the room, the beeping of the heart monitor becoming frantic as it mimicked how fast his heart was suddenly racing. 

'El! Where are you?' he cried, the words barely getting past his throat. 

Karen jerked awake at her son's cry, gasping, and lifted her head to meet Mike's wild, panicked eyes, heart skipping a beat as she saw how pale he was, barely able to breathe. 

'Where is she? He's got her, you have to help her...you have to find her...' 

Hopper, who had awoken at Mike's cry, surged to his feet beside Karen and they both ran to Mike's sides, grasping his shoulders and pushing him back against the pillow to stop him from trying to crawl off the bed. 

Tears filled Karen's eyes, heart breaking as she saw the fear and pain in Mike's eyes, barely holding back the sob that wanted to escape her. 

Hopper leant down, squeezing Mike's shoulder hard to help him focus and leant down to force him to meet his eyes. He spoke firmly, his words carefully chosen and precise. 

'El is safe. Brenner doesn't have her and he will never have her. She's in the hospital and she is safe and alive. Do you understand, Mike?'' 

Mike stared at him for a moment before he let out a huge breath, slumping back against his pillow weakly, tears filling his eyes. 

He blinked them back, lips trembling and closed his eyes for a second, relief rushing into him and replacing the fear so fast it left him dizzy and slightly nauseous. 

'Really?' he asked, voice shaking, as he opened his eyes to look at them. 

Hopper nodded, lips twitching up into his characteristic straight-lipped smile. 

'Really, kid. She's completely safe and in a room down the hall.'

Mike tried to push himself up onto his arms, crying out at the sharp stabbing pain in his side that intensified at the movement, going from an annoying pulse to a blazing fire. 

'I...have...to see her...' he puffed, trying to swing his legs over the side of the bed. 

'Oh, no you don't...' Hopper said, giving Mike a small shove which sent him tumbling against his pillow with a pained groan, sweat running down his temple. 

Mike narrowed his eyes, glaring at him, and Hopper chuckled. 

'I hate to break it to you, Wheeler, but you were shot. You won't be leaving this bed for a while, and I don't think El would be too happy if she found out you were wandering around the halls looking for her after what you both went through. Do you?' 

Mike opened his mouth to argue but the words died in his throat he saw the fear darkening his Mom's eyes and the way she was biting her lips anxiously, and he deflated with a heavy sigh, admitting defeat. 

At least for now. 

Hopper nodded, and patted him gently on the shoulder. 

'Good man. You lost a hell of a lot blood, kid, so all we need you to do is rest and get better. You're lucky to be alive.'

Karen abruptly burst into sobs, tears running down her pale cheeks and she quickly covered them with her hands. Mike sat up, face crumpling at the pain on her face, devastated to put her through this, and reached out for her. 

'Mom...' 

She held up a hand and he quieted immediately, waiting for her to calm down, exchanging a bewildered look with Hopper who shrugged at him, thick eyebrows drawn together as he shifted uncomfortably. He didn't know what to do anymore than he did. 

Karen lifted her hands after a few moments with a delicate sniff, expression a little sheepish. 

'I'm okay,' she said, giving him a wobbly smile, 'I just need a minute. Hopper, do you mind staying with Mike?' 

Hopper shook his head and Karen walked over, pressing a hard kiss to Mike's head. 

'I'm so happy you're okay, sweetheart,' she whispered, before turning and quickly walking out of the room, closing the door behind her. 

Mike sat up slightly as Hopper took a seat on the end of his bed, expression suddenly serious. 

'What happened? I mean after I....' 

After I passed out, he finished silently, guilt filling him as he realised he left El alone to face that monster, even though it wasn't his fault. 

Hopper, as if he could read his thoughts, gave him a grave smile. 

'Brenner's dead. Shot himself with his own gun. Suicide is what they've written down on the coroner's report and I'm going to go to my grave telling people that's what happened. But El...she told me that she killed him, used her powers to make him shoot himself. She didn't have a choice though. Brenner....we found a needle by his body, and the lab results came back this morning saying it was a strong tranquiliser. He was going to inject her with it so she wouldn't be able to fight him. I think he stole it from the institution before he escaped, that he'd been planning this for a while.' 

Fury rose inside Mike, so strong it almost choked him, and he clenched his hands into fists by his side. 

Mike had never been happier that someone was dead. Brenner hadn't deserved to live, not after everything he had done to El. He only wished El hadn't had to do it, that he could have saved her that, because he knew she would feel guilty, that it would take her a long time to recover from hurting another human being. No matter the reason. 

Hopper nodded as he saw Mike's face darken, understanding exactly how he felt feeling, his own face hardening. 

'Thank you, Mike. For protecting her, for standing between them. I can never repay what you did.' 

Mike looked at him, and nodded, lips trembling slightly as he thought of his girl in a room down the hall and what she must have gone through while he was unconscious. 

'I love her, sir. I would do anything to keep her safe.' 

'I know, and I'm glad. El deserves all the love in the world. You look after her, Mike.' 

The 'or else' went unsaid but Mike heard it nonetheless and nodded, expression serious. He didn't need it, because he knew he'd do whatever it took to make sure that El was never unhappy or in pain for the rest of her life. Not if he could help it. 

While they waited for Karen, Hopper told Mike about how El was and how he'd convinced the doctors that she had been injected with some of the tranquiliser to hide the real reason she was so drained and sick, and to keep anyone from suspecting anything. 

He also told him the false story he had spread across Hawkins's to hide the truth of what had happened. The town now believed that Brenner had been El's foster parent for the few weeks before Hopper had been contacted as her only living family left and he had become obsessed with her. He had been furious when he had been denied custody, and had come to Hawkins's to try and take her back. When Mike had tried to protect her, to stop him, Brenner had shot him. When he realised what he'd done after, that he'd spend the rest of his days in jail, he had turned the gun on himself. 

'Oh, by the way,' he said, a grin spreading across his weathered face, brightening his tired eyes, 'you're bleeding somehow magically stopped before the paramedics even got to you. The doctors are scratching their heads, they just can't work it out. How do you think that happened? 

Hopper winked at him, and Mike laughed, wincing as his stitches pulled. 

'Yeah, I wonder', he said, shaking his head with a rueful grin. 

El had saved him. Again. It was final. His girl was beyond amazing. 

Karen stepped back into the room, her eyes red-rimmed and cheeks wet and stared at the scene before her before a smile curved the corners of her mouth, her face softening as she saw Mike laughing.

She had been so scared when she had received the call that Mike had been shot and was being rushed to hospital for surgery. She had thought he was going to die and it was such a relief to see him awake, colour returning to his too-white face and laughing.   
Hopper glanced over as Karen entered the room and rose to his feet, clearing his throat and straightening his shoulders. 

'I better head back to El. I don't want her to wake up alone, not knowing where she is. I'll bring her in tomorrow if you think you'll feel up to it?' he said, raising an eyebrow, lips twitching up in amusement as Mike's face brightened. 

Mike nodded eagerly, not caring that he probably looked like a love-sick fool. He wanted to see El.

'Alright, then,' Hopper said, shaking his head with a low chuckle as he left the room. 

Karen walked over to Mike and pulled up his sheets, smoothing them down before looking up at him, her eyes filling with tears again. She quickly blinked them back and brushed his hair out of his face lovingly. 

'I'm just going to head home and grab you some fresh clothes and maybe have a shower. I should be back in a few hours. You going to be alright till I get back?' 

Mike nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. 

'I'll be fine, Mom. I promise.' 

Karen smiled at him, and walked over to grab her purse off the floor near where she was sleeping, before turning back to him. 

'Anything you want me to grab in particular?' 

Mike was shaking his head when a thought suddenly hit him and he sat up straight, ignoring the twinge in his side. 

'Actually...' 

He quickly told her what he wanted, a blush rising on his cheeks as he spoke and Karen smiled, eyes brightening. 

'Of course, sweetie. No problem.' 

She walked out but paused in the doorway, smiling at him. 

'By the way, you have some visitors. Should I send them in?'

A grin spread across Mike's face and he nodded. 

The boys all ran in, excited grins falling of their faces as they saw Mike propped up in the hospital bed, shocked by how white his face, the dark circles under his eyes and how weak and tired he looked.

They had been in the waiting room of the hospital since Hopper had called them and told them what had happened, and had refused to leave, sleeping and eating there and waiting for their friends to wake up. But now, as they stood next to Mike's bed, they were frozen, not knowing what to say or do. 

'Hey guys', Mike said as they stared at him, eyes wide, grinning at their shocked and awkward expressions.

'You look like shit, Mike,' Dustin blurted out, earning a smack on the head from Will who shook his head at him, completely exasperated. 

Dustin winced, and reached up to rub his head, glaring at Will. 

Mike burst out laughing, shaking his head at them. 

'Don't worry, I feel like shit too.' 

They all crowded in a little closer but kept a small distance between them, worried they'd hurt him. Mike, understanding, smiled at them reassuringly.

'Guys, it's okay. I'm alright.' 

Lucas nodded jerkily before rushing forward to hug him. The others followed him, wrapping their arms around each other, being careful not to squeeze too hard, the fear they had all felt throughout the night easing slightly. 

Mike hugged them back hard, squeezing his eyes shut. 

He had thought he would never see them again. 

'I can't believe you got shot', Will said as he pulled back, shaking his head slightly at how crazy the whole situation was. 

Mike wiggled up higher onto his pillow, puffing slightly. 

'I know, me either. It all just kind of feels like a dream or like it happened to someone else. Except I'm the one with the bullet hole in me', he said, laughing ruefully. 

'If you think about it, it's kind of cool. I mean, how many teenagers can say they've been shot! What did it feel like?' Dustin asked eagerly, leaning forward from where he was perched on the end of the bed, hands on his knees. 

'It felt like...I don't know how to describe it. It was the worst thing I've ever felt. I seriously thought I was going to die. It was like...like a branding iron was being stabbed into my stomach over and over,' Mike told them, paling as he remembered the white-hot pain and the feeling of his blood pooling on his skin. 

They all shuddered, paling slightly. 

'By the way, great hospital gown. It really brings out your eyes,' Lucas said after a few minutes of silence, smirking slightly, though his eyes were still tight and crinkled with worry. 

Mike rolled his eyes at him. 

'Ha ha, real funny', 

'But seriously, what happened? With Brenner, I mean. Where is he?' Will asked curiously. 

Mike's face hardened, teeth clenching at the mention of his name. 

'He's dead. El...she had to kill him, had no choice. He was going to drug her, had a tranquiliser on him so that he could take her and she couldn't fight him.' 

They all gaped at him before their faces darkened, expressions furious. 

'Son of a bitch.' Lucas hissed, eyes narrowing. 

'That...that asshole. Who did he think he was?' Dustin said, aghast, hands clenching into fists. 

'How's El taking it? Is she okay?' WILL asked, worriedly, glancing out the door as if he could see into El's room down the hall.

Mike's face crumpled at the question, frustrated tears filling his eyes, and he slammed a fist against the mattress.

'I don't know. I haven't seen her. They won't let me get out of bed and she's too weak to come here yet. Hopper said that she's okay, but she's really drained, used all her powers getting rid of him and saving me. She used her powers to stop me from bleeding out, you know? She's been sleeping for a few days and the doctor's just think Brenner drugged her'. 

'I just want to see her', he said, turning dark, pain-filled eyes to his friends who looked at him, faces full of sympathy. 

'I know, man,' Dustin said, patting his shoulder comfortingly, 'I'm sure she's okay and you'll see her real soon'. 

'Yeah, and if you haven't seen her by tomorrow we'll go get her and sneak her into your room', Will said, eyes narrowed determinedly as the others nodded, grinning at the plan. 

They all knew El would do the same for them. 

Mike looked at each of them, grinning, feeling like the luckiest guy in the world. He had friends who would do anything for him, including sneaking someone into his hospital room. How many people could say that? 

They talked for a little while longer until a nurse came in to give him another shot and shooed them from the room, telling them visiting hours were over. Mike waved to them as they left, all promising to come and see him the next day. As he felt the cool drugs trickling into his system, his eyes drooping as he began to drift off, his last thought was of the plan he'd already come up with to see El, before he fell fully asleep. 

***

El tip-toed down the dark, empty corridor of the hospital, shivering in her summer pyjamas, chewing her lip anxiously as she jumped at the slightest noise. 

She was going to be in so much trouble if she was caught out of her bed, especially if Hopper found out. He had jokingly threatened to tie her down if she moved, but El had been able to see the worry he'd been trying to hide in his eyes and had told him she wouldn't leave for anything that wasn't important. 

And this was important. This was Mike. 

El's muscles ached and throbbed with every step she took, her head spinning dizzily as a headache pounded dully behind her eyes, but she stubbornly kept walking. She was finally able to move around after a whole day and night of being so weak she could barely lift her head and she couldn't just sit there anymore and wait. 

She needed to see Mike and no-one was going to stop her. 

El peeked around the corner and froze, cursing under her breath, as she saw a red-headed woman sitting at the nurses station, her head down as she scribbled across a pad of paper. El quickly ducked back behind the corner, looking around nervously before she pulled up the little bit of power she'd managed to recover since the incident and pushed it out towards a room down the opposite corridor.

An alarm went off, beeping frantically and the nurse's head snapped, surprise and worry filling her face before she raced towards the noise, heels clicking loudly against the linoleum floor. 

El hurried past the nurses station, feeling a twinge of guilt inside her for worrying the poor woman, and ducked down so she wouldn't be spotted. 

She suddenly slammed into a hard body, almost toppling backwards, and barely cut off the scream that rose in her throat, as she quickly grabbed the wall to keep from falling and landing on her butt. 

Her heart stuttered in her chest as she lifted wide, startled eyes to find Mike standing in front of her, puffing heavily, one hand braced against the wall beside them and the other wrapped around the pole of his IV. 

El just gaped at him for a second, tears prickling her eyes as she lovingly studied his face, barely resisting the urge to throw herself into his arms. Her stomach dropped sickeningly when she saw the white lines bracketing his mouth and how tight he was holding his jaw as he strained to hold himself up, his face pale and his whole body shaking uncontrollably. 

He was in pain! What the hell was he doing out of bed? she thought, barely holding back tears as she stared at him, worry, fear and an irrational anger filling her.

Oh god, this was her fault.

Mike's eyes roved over her face, taking everything in. Hopper had been telling the truth. She was really okay. Tears filled his eyes and he quickly blinked them back, not wanting to miss a thing. She was pale, skin white under her tan and there were dark circles under her eyes but otherwise she was fine. She looked beautiful, dark hair falling into her eyes, even as her eyes darkened in a way that said she wanted to hit him. 

'El, you're okay,' he breathed, reaching up with one hand to cup her cheek, staring at her as if he couldn't believe she was real, swaying on his feet. 

'Are you insane? What are you doing up? You were just shot,' she said, tone full of disbelief and worry, pointedly ignoring the fact that technically she was breaking the rules as well by sneaking out. But damn it, she wasn't the one who had almost died!

El rushed to him, quickly ducking under his shoulder and wrapped an arm around his waist to hold him upright, ignoring the way her legs burned at the extra weight. 

'I'm aware of that', he said wryly, a small smile curving his mouth, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer as she led him back towards his room two doors down. 

Mike frowned, a little disgruntled. He thought he had gotten further than that! It had felt like he had been walking for ages. 

When El sent him an unamused look, he shrugged jerkily. 

'I need to see you...make sure you were okay...' 

El shook her head in disbelief. 

'Idiot,' she mumbled, voice wet and trembling, as they hobbled over to the bed, her breath coming fast as she sat him down on the bed. 

Mike let out a heavy sigh, cold sweat pooling on his forehead and dampening his hair, eyes glassy and slightly dazed.   
El's chest tightened as he inched himself back to lean against the pillows, moving gingerly and slowly like an old man, letting out a pained moan. 

She pressed her trembling lips together, hot tears gathering behind her eyes, and wrapped an arm around herself, trying not to break, to hold herself together like she had been since she woke up. 

Hopper had told her that Mike was safe, that he was alive and okay, but seeing it for herself, seeing him pale, weak and in pain because of her, broke the leash she'd been holding on her emotions. 

It was her fault he was here, her fault he'd been hurt and almost died. If he hadn't been with her Brenner would have left him alone. It was all her fault. 

Mike glanced up as he finally settled against the pillows, a triumphant smile on his face that quickly fell away when he saw the pain darkening her eyes and the way her chin wobbled slightly as she fought back tears. 

He made his lips curve up into what he hoped was a reassuring smile, trying to stop her from crying, not sure he could handle seeing her like that. 

'Hey, at least I can say I'd take a bullet for you and have an actual scar to prove it,' he joked, a crooked smile spreading across his face as he looked at her pale face, dark eyes almost begging her to smile. 

El just blinked at him for a second, shock filling her face before it crumpled and she burst into tears, all the bottled up anxiety, fear, self-hatred and guilt suddenly exploding out of her uncontrollably. 

He was okay, she thought, burying her face in her hands as her body shook almost violently with sobs. 

She had woken up and had thought he was dead, that she had been too late and had lost him. She had barely been able to breathe, guilt and grief almost choking her, and almost couldn't believe Hopper when he said he was alive. But here was, sitting up and making stupid jokes, the moron. 

Mike jerked up, cringing as his stitches pulled at the abrupt movement, and stared at her, devastated. 

'Oh, no, El...that was a bad joke...I'm sorry...' 

El shook her head, turning away from him and dashing at her cheeks, skin flushed and mottled. 

Mike stared at her helplessly, feeling like a prisoner trapped on the bed, unable to go to her, to comfort her. He stretched an arm out, just reaching her hand where it rested on top of the bed, and grabbed the tips of her fingers, squeezing gently. 

'Come on, babe, stop crying. I'm okay.' 

El turned back towards him, dark eyes wet and bloodshot, and sniffed, wiping at her running nose with the back of her hand. 

Mike's face softened as he looked at her, and quickly pushed back the bed sheets, gesturing for her to get in. 

'Come here,' he said, patting the bed beside him, shifting over slightly. 

El's eyes widened and she took a quick step back, shaking her head frantically. 

'I can't. What about your stitches...and the tubes...?'

'Just get in, it'll be fine. I need to cuddle and comfort my girlfriend, and I just got shot so you kind of have to do what I say,' he said, pouting at her. 

El sniffed, rolling her eyes, but gingerly climbed onto the bed, keeping a few inches of space between them and being careful not to sit on any tubes. 

'You're never going to stop bringing that up, are you?' 

'Nope', he said, smirking deviously, 'I'm going to milk it for all it's worth. I could get months out of this, maybe even years.' 

El chuckled, and looked up at him, tears still running down her cheeks no matter how fast she wiped them away. 

'Idiot.' 

Mike sagged slightly with relief when she gave him a watery smile, smiling back at her and nuzzling her head. 

'Yeah, but you love me.' 

El's face crumpled again at his words, and she curled an arm gently around his waist, snuggling in closer and burying her face, warm and sticky with tears, in the hollow his throat, breathing in his familiar scent. 

Mike wrapped his arms tighter around her, pressing his lips to her head and closed his eyes. 

She was okay, they were both okay. He felt like he was breathing properly for the first time since he'd woken up. El was here, and she was safe. Brenner could never hurt her again. 

El pressed her ear to his chest and listened to his heartbeat, strong and steady again, and felt every muscle in her body sag in relief at the sound. Mike ran a hand through her hair over and over, soothing her, and sighed when he felt her relaxing against him. 

'You okay?' he asked after a few minutes, voice soft. 

El let out a shuddering breath, and nodded, looking up at him. 

'I was so scared, Mike. The doctors wouldn't let me see you and I thought...I thought they were lying...that you were...' her words halted, unable to say the words aloud, barely able to think them. 

Mike and dead didn't belong in the same sentence. 

She would never let him be hurt again. She would keep him safe, she promised herself, pressing her lips over his heart. 

'I thought I lost you, Mike. You almost died and it was my fault. It was my fault you were shot. I'm so sorry...' 

Mike face hardened, and he tugged her closer, shaking his head. 

'No, El. Don't ever think that, okay? It wasn't your fault, it was Brenner's. He's the one who pulled the trigger, he's the one who wanted to hurt us both. You had nothing to do with it. You saved me'.

Mike pulled her closer, ignoring her protests and the hands pushing against his chest, and kissed her hard, putting all the fear, all the worry, all the relief he had into it. El kissed him back, wet cheeks brushing against his and wetting his face, digging her fingers into his hair and let out a small whimper. 

He pulled back after a few minutes and pressed his lips to her forehead, letting out a rushed breath. 

'I have never been that terrified in my life. I thought he had taken you.' 

El sighed, rubbing her nose along his, shaking her head. 

'I'm okay. But I need you to promise me you'll never do that again, Mike. You know how...how in the bus you said not to leave you, that you didn't think you could survive it?' 

Mike nodded, throat tightening as she lifted her head and he saw the love shining in her eyes. 

'I know I wouldn't survive without you.' 

'You're never going to lose me, El. Not ever,' he promised, kissing her head hard. 

El sat up and pressed her lips to his, moving them against his hungrily. Mike tilted his head, deepening the kiss, and lifted himself up onto his elbow to cup her face. He hissed, his whole body stiffening and fingers clenching in the bedsheets so hard his knuckles turned white when sharp pain shot across his stomach at the movement. 

El pulled away from him as he stiffened, face stricken, and hastily put a hand on his chest, holding him back as he leant it to kiss her again. 

'Uh-uh, not happening. Not until you're better.' 

Mike groaned, laying his head back against him pillow and closing his eyes before chuckling weakly.

'You're right. Though it might just kill me being around without being able to kiss you'.

El fondly shook her head at him, before grinning and plucking at the material of near where her head rested. 

'Nice hospital gown. Real sexy.' 

Mike almost growled at her, and poked her side hard with his finger. 

'Shut up, you. I swear you and Lucas could be twins.' 

El giggled before wiggling out of his arms, ignoring his muttered protests and the way his arms tightened around her weakly and knelt beside his legs. She tugged on the bottom of the gown before looking up at him, chewing her lip anxiously. 

Mike knew what she was silently asking, and lifted his hips slightly to help her pull the gown up easier. 

El's breath hitched as she stared at the huge white bandage covering the bottom half of his stomach, and lifted a hand, her fingers hovering over it, afraid to touch it and hurt him even more.

'Does....' she swallowed as her voice cracked, trying to be strong for both of them, 'does it hurt?' 

He shook his head quickly at the worried look on her face. 

'Nah, the drugs they have me on are amazing,' he said, grinning goofily and patting the pole of the IV with an affectionate look. 

El giggled, shaking her head at him. 

'I bet.' 

She gently ran her finger along the edge of the bandage, lip twitching down into a sad frown. 

'It's not as bad as it looks', he told her, shrugging nonchalantly, barely holding back his pained grimace as the wound began to throb incessantly like a new bruise. 

El scoffed, looking up at the bed at him and raising an eyebrow at him, expression sceptical. 

'Uh, I was there. I know how bad it was. There was a massive hole in your stomach, Mike. And how would you know how bad it was? You fainted,' she said, lip twitching up in amusement as his mouth fell open and he glared at her in mock-offence. 

'Did not! I lost consciousness. Fainting is so unmanly.'

'Whatever you say,' she said, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to the bandage, before pulling his hospital gown back down. 

Mike's eyes softened and he tugged her back up to lay down beside him, running his fingers up and down her arm. 

'I have something for you', he said after a few moments of easy silence. 

'What?' El asked, sitting up and frowning at him, confused. 

'It's on the bedside table,' Mike said, sitting up gingerly, chewing his lip as nerves erupted in his stomach as he watched her pick it up and turned it over in her hands. 

El studied the tiny, black box for a moment, before flicking him a bewildered look, eyebrows drawn together.

'It bought it weeks ago, for your birthday, but I was too nervous to give it to you then...thought I'd look like an idiot. But...but after everything that happened over the last few days I want you to have it', Mike told her, his leg twitching nervously as she tilted her head, studying his face for a long moment before her eyebrows relaxed and she smiled at him, eagerly opening the box.

El lifted the lid, and felt the smile freeze on her face, heart skipping a beat as stared at the ring inside. It was...beautiful, she thought, hands shaking as she lifted it from the velvet lining inside and laid it in her palm. It was a plain silver band that curved up into the shape of a heart with a pink stone in the middle. It was the prettiest thing she'd ever seen, let alone owned. 

'Mike...' she breathed, completely awed. 

Mike shifted nervously on the bed, holding his breath for a second before words burst out of him and he was unable to stop himself from babbling, even though he desperately wanted to, face growing redder with every word. 

'I'm not...it's not an engagement ring or anything so don't freak out. It's a promise ring. My Dad got my Mom one when they first started dating. It's like a...well, it's like a promise...' he trailed off, grimacing at how badly he was explaining this. 

El blinked at him, frowning slightly, lips pursed, and he groaned, closing his eyes for a second before he clenched his jaw and gently took her hand in his. 

'It's a way of showing that we're together, that we're committed to one another and that one day...I mean, a long time from now...way, way in the future...we'll get married and have kids and just...be together forever, I guess', he finished, his face the reddest it had ever been as he rubbed at the back of his neck, positive he had never felt like awkward and nervous in his life, even the first time they had slept together when he had felt like his heart was going to jump out of his throat. 

El just stared at him, eyes huge in her head, gaping at him and then the ring for so long Mike felt his shoulders getting higher and higher, neck tight. 

Oh god, this was a mistake. He'd been right, she thought he was an overeager idiot. Why did he think this was a good idea?

'You...you don't have to wear it if you don't want to...', he said quickly, reaching over to take the ring from her, wanting to throw it out the window and just forget it ever happened. 

El closed her hand over the ring, and snatched it away from him, shaking her head frantically. 

Mike's head jerked up and he felt his heart clench as his eyes met her warm ones, the brightest smile he'd ever seen on her creasing her cheeks. 

'No, I want to wear it.' 

Mike stared at her before a wide grin spread across his face and he tucked her hair behind her ear, almost unable to believe he was hearing right. 

'Really?' 

El rolled her eyes. 

'No, I'm screwing with you. Yes, really! How could you think I would say anything else? I want everything you just said and more. I want forever with you, Mike. I can't imagine my life without you in it.' 

'Me either,' he said, uncurling her fingers and slipping the ring on her finger, 'I could never imagine loving anyone else. You're it for me, El.' 

El's eyes softened and she moved in closer. Mike's breath hitched and El paused, giving him a warning look before leaning down and brushing her lips softly against his mouth.

She pulled back after a second, giving him a half-smile that he returned, grinning at her goofily. She snuggled into him and rested her hand, the one with the ring, over his heart with a happy sigh. 

'I love you, Mike Wheeler, you know that?' 

'You may have mentioned it,' he said, grinning cheekily at her, and echoing the words she'd said to him that morning before both their worlds had exploded. 

El narrowed her eyes at him, but couldn't help the smile that curved her lips. 

'Mouth-breather.' 

Mike pulled the blanket over both of them, burying his face in her hair, and wrapping an arm around her waist as they curled up together on his tiny hospital bed, eyes slowly beginning to droop. 

'I should go back to my room,' El said, voice heavy with sleep as she pressed a kiss to his arm.

Mike shook his head, tightening his arms around her as he yawned, eyes drifting shut. 

'No, stay. I don't care if we get in trouble, I don't want to sleep without you. Promise me you'll stay with me?' 

El smiled without opening her eyes and patted the bed before she found his hand, slipping her fingers between his and squeezing gently, having heard the slight tremor of fear in his voice that he had tried to hide. 

'I'm not going anywhere. Not ever. I promise.' 

As they both drifted off to sleep, Mike's hand slackening in hers as he let out a quiet snore, El thought of the future, of finishing high school, moving away for college, marriage and children, all with Mike by her side and she couldn't help but smile as the peaceful darkness of sleep pulled her away. 

She couldn't wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I can't believe it's over. I'm sorry for scaring you, but of course I wasn't going to kill off Mike. He's too precious and my favourite! I hoped you loved it! I feel so sad saying goodbye to you guys (for now) but I will be updating Snapshots soon and I already have a new story in the works (well, planning stage lol). Let me know what you think :) x

**Author's Note:**

> So what did you all think? I love feedback *hint, hint lol* ;) Hope you liked it.


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